Serratia marcescens osteomyelitis of the clavicle and sternoclavicular arthritis complicating infected indwelling subclavian vein catheter.

Serratia marcescens bacteremia, osteomyelitis of the right clavicle, and septic arthritis of the right sternoclavicular joint developed in a 69-year-old woman after a right subclavian vein catheter was in place for five days. The infections were cured with the combination of gentamicin and ceftizoxime. There have been three previously reported cases of osteomyelitis of the clavicle following indwelling subclavian vein catheterization; two were caused by Staphylococcus aureus and one by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.