@article {Randell736, author = {P A Randell and L Somers}, title = {Case of the month: {\textquotedblleft}Bugs are eating my soul{\textquotedblright} {\textendash} sternal abscess, osteomyelitis, and mediastinitis complicating a closed sternal fracture}, volume = {23}, number = {9}, pages = {736--737}, year = {2006}, doi = {10.1136/emj.2006.038000}, publisher = {British Association for Accident and Emergency Medicine}, 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.}, issn = {1472-0205}, URL = {https://emj.bmj.com/content/23/9/736}, eprint = {https://emj.bmj.com/content/23/9/736.full.pdf}, journal = {Emergency Medicine Journal} }