Joanna Szabo  |  July 13, 2019

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Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infection Overview

Nontuberculous mycobacterial infection (NTM) is a serious bacterial infection. Most commonly the infection slowly causes scarring and damage to the lungs; however, it can also occur in other tissues, including in the heart.

Mild cases of NTM may not necessitate treatment. However, in more serious cases, treatment may take up to two years to completely heal—or may even necessitate ongoing treatment.

NTM infections can appear in a number of forms. In many cases, NTM is a lung disease, and can cause scarring and difficulty coughing, and may eventually lead to lung failure. According to WebMD, there are two main kinds of NTM lung disease. The first (and less severe kind) is called nodular bronchiectasis, which causes airway scarring and difficulty coughing. The second form is called cavitary NTM lung disease, and it is more severe. On top of the airway scarring that the more mild form causes, cavitary NTM lung disease causes cavities or pits to form in your lungs, which can, in turn, lead to lung failure.

NTM infections can also develop in many other places in the body, including in the skin, bones, lymph nodes, or even the heart.

Causes of NTM Disease

NTM is not contagious—it cannot be passed from one person to another like with tuberculosis. Instead, NTM can be caused by consuming water or food—or even breathing in air or mist—that has the bacteria in it. This can allow the bacteria into your tissue, leading to infection and inflamed airways. NTM bacteria are most often found in warm, wet places, which can include hot tubs, heated indoor pools, and bathrooms.

Another possible cause of NTM infection is the use of a cardiac heater-cooler system during surgery, especially open-heart surgery. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued safety warnings about the Stockert 3T Heater-cooler, noting that the devices have been linked with NTM infection. The water tanks in these devices may allow contaminated water to travel to the patient during surgery.

The FDA continues to monitor reports of NTM infections associated with the use of heater-cooler devices during open-heart surgery.

While the relative risk for NTM infection is low, there are more than 250,000 heart bypass procedure using heater-cooler devices each year in the United States. Around 60 percent of these procedures are performed with devices associated with NTM infections.

In hospitals where at least one patient was diagnosed with an NTM infection after open heart surgery, the CDC estimates that a patient’s risk of getting an NTM infection was somewhere between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1,000.

These infections are serious, and in the most severe cases, some patients have even died.

Cardiac NTM Infection Symptoms

After open-heart surgery, there are a few symptoms to look out for that may indicate an infection, including the following:

  • Night sweats
  • Muscle aches
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Fatigue
  • Unexplained fever

Have NTM Lawsuits Been Filed?

So far, a number of open-heart surgery patients have turned to litigation, alleging the heater-cooler devices used during their surgeries led to NTM infections. The lawsuits named manufacturers LivaNova and Sorin Group, alleging they were not adequately warned about these risks. In February 2016, a class action lawsuit was filed by Pennsylvania open-heart surgery patients over the allegedly defective heater-cooler systems and their associated risks.

If you have suffered from an infection after open-heart surgery with the use of a 3T Heater-Cooler device, you may be able to file a lawsuit and pursue compensation.

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