Post-operative mediastinitis, pleuritis and pericarditis due to Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum with a fatal outcome

Post-sternotomy mediastinitis, although infrequent, is a potentially life-threatening complication of cardiac surgery. We report an unusual case of Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum post-surgical mediastinitis with persistent pleural and pericardial effusion. Clinical manifestations and response to therapy are described, and the difficulties of establishing the diagnosis are discussed.