Staphylococcus aureus sternal osteomyelitis: a rare cause of chest pain

Abstract

Chest pain is a common presenting symptom with a broad differential. Life-threatening cardiac and pulmonary etiologies of chest pain should be evaluated first. However, it is critical to perform a thorough assessment for other sources of chest pain in order to limit morbidity and mortality from less common causes. We present a rare case of a previously healthy 45 year old man who presented with focal, substernal, reproducible chest pain and Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia who was later found to have primary Staphylococcus aureus sternal osteomyelitis.

Keywords

• osteomyelitis
• sternum
• MRI
• chest pain
• Staphylococcus
• Staphylococcus aureus
• MSSA
• methicillin
• immunocompetent
• treatment