Successful Use of Sulbactam–Durlobactam in Treating Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Pneumonia and Sepsis After Liver Transplantation: A Case Report

BACKGROUND Orthotopic liver transplantation is the primary treatment for end-stage liver disease; however, postoperative infections, especially those caused by carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB), remain a major cause of mortality due to limited therapeutic options. Sulbactam-durlobactam (SUL-DUR), a novel b-lactam/b-lactamase inhibitor combination, has shown potent activity against CRAB. This report describes the first reported use of SUL-DUR in a liver transplant recipient with CRAB pneumonia and sepsis. CASE REPORT A 22-year-old woman with acute liver failure underwent auxiliary liver transplantation. Postoperatively, she developed CRAB pneumonia and septicemia confirmed by imaging, bronchoscopy, and metagenomic next-generation sequencing. She received combination therapy with SUL-DUR (1 g/1 g every 8 h), meropenem, eravacycline, and neutralized polymyxin B. Blood and sputum cultures confirmed CRAB susceptibility to SUL-DUR. Following treatment, inflammatory markers (CRP, IL-6, PCT) and pathogen loads markedly decreased, leading to complete clinical resolution without significant adverse effects. The patient was successfully discharged after rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS SUL-DUR demonstrated excellent efficacy and safety in treating CRAB pneumonia and sepsis after liver transplantation. This case supports Phase III trial data and suggests the potential for use in high-risk, immunocompromised populations. Further studies are warranted to validate its clinical role and inform future guidelines for multidrug-resistant infections.