Department of Pharmacy, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Beijing 100053, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China; Department of Pharmacy, Beijing Fengtai Hospital of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Beijing 100072, China
Abstract：An 83-year-old male patient received IV infusions of linezolid 600-mg once per 12-hours and imipenem and cilastatin sodium 1 g once per 8 hours for incisional wound infection after cervical spinal fusion. Three days later, imipenem and cilastatin sodium was stopped according to the drug sensitive test result and linezolid was continued. Two weeks after the use of linezolid, the patient developed dry mouth, and abnormal sensation of tongue; and 18 days later, he developed black tongue coating in the center of the tongue, which could not relieved after drinking a lot of water. After that, the tooth root blackened and the denture pigmented gradually. It was considered as black hairy tongue, which might be associated with linezolid. Linezolid was stopped and compound chlorhexidine gargle was given for gargling. Twelve days later, the patient′s tongue coating returned to normal, the symptoms of dry mouth and thirst disappeared, and the color of tooth root became lighter.
