A surgical site abscess caused by an ant bite on foot 7 years after mastectomy: A case report.

KEY CLINICAL MESSAGE: Abscess at a previous surgical site induced by an insect bite has rarely been reported. Here we report a case of abscess at the breast surgical site, which occurred 7 years after mastectomy following an ant bite.

ABSTRACT: Surgical site abscess generally occurs following operation within 30 days. However, surgical site abscess induced by an insect bite, which occurs several years after surgery, has rarely been reported. Here, we report a 65-year-old female patient with a history of breast cancer presenting with an abscess at the site of her mastectomy and ipsilateral arm lymphedema. Her left foot was bitten by an ant 25 days earlier and itchy red bumps with whiteheads were raised. After antibiotic treatment and abscess incision and drainage, the abscess healed, but the ipsilateral arm lymphedema persisted. This unique case demonstrates that surgical procedures can alter the susceptibility of tissues to allergic or infectious cues long after the operation.