A Rare Case of Escherichia coli Chest Wall Abscess With Rib Osteomyelitis in a Patient With Crohn's Disease.

Primary chest wall abscess due to hematogenous spread is very rare and has seldom been documented in the literature, with most reported cases attributed to . Prompt diagnosis and management with antibiotics, and evacuation of the abscess, is imperative as the infection can lead to systemic or disseminated infection, including erosion into surrounding bone if left untreated. We describe the case of a 67-year-old female with severe Crohn's disease receiving anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) therapy, Etanercept presenting with localized () chest wall abscess with erosion into the surrounding rib. This case highlights a rare clinical entity, chest wall abscess, which is also an unusual site of infection. Only three previous cases of primary chest wall abscess can be found in the published literature. This case also highlights a possible association of severe Crohn's disease predisposing to complicated soft tissue infection.