title: Case of the month: "bugs are eating my soul"--sternal abscess, osteomyelitis, and mediastinitis complicating a closed sternal fracture.
abstract: Wound complications of closed sternal fracture are rare, but may have serious consequences if not effectively managed. We report a case of a patient who presented to the emergency department with a sternal abscess, osteomyelitis, and mediastinitis complicating a closed sternal fracture. It is hypothesised that in our patient bacteraemia post intravenous drug use resulted in seeding of the haematoma with Staphylococcus aureus. Early diagnosis and a multidisciplinary team effort were important in ensuring a favourable outcome.
authors.affiliation: Royal Free Hospital, London, UK. paulrandell@gmail.com
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Randell
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Somers
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008480:Mediastinitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D011859:Radiography; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000150:complications; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013249:Sternum / Q000293:injuries*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents