En bloc chest wall resection for candidal costochondritis in a drug addict

A case of Candida costochondritis seen initially as a chest wall tumor in a narcotic addict is reported. Bone and cartilage are rare sites of Candida infection from whatever cause. Since 1973, only 6 cases of Candida costochondritis have been reported; 5 were complications of thoracic operations and the other, of intravenous hyperalimentation. Treatment by a one-stage en bloc resection of chest wall, and reconstruction by rib graft and Marlex mesh resulted in cure in our patient, without complications.