Endoscopic sphenoid sinus drainage in Lemierre syndrome.

Abstract

Lemierre syndrome is a rare condition arising from an invasive oropharyngeal infection, which leads to septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein and multi-organ septic embolization. Intracranial complications are rare but serious, including subdural empyema, cavernous sinus thrombosis, and internal carotid artery aneurysms. We report a patient with Lemierre syndrome with multiple intracranial complications despite aggressive antimicrobial therapy. The patient eventually required transsphenoidal endoscopic drainage of the sphenoid sinus to help eradicate the infectious source. We postulate that in patients with Lemierre syndrome with evidence of infection in the paranasal sinuses, endoscopic sinus drainage can be an adjunct to antimicrobial therapy in achieving infection control.

• Authors: E Golan, K Wong, H Alahmadi, R F Agid, A Morris, A Sharkawy, G Zadeh
• Journal: Journal of clinical neuroscience : official journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia (J Clin Neurosci) Vol. 21 Issue 2 Pg. 346-8 (Feb 2014) ISSN: 1532-2653 [Electronic] Scotland
• PMID: 24060623 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Topics

• Adult
• Carotid Artery Diseases (diagnostic imaging, etiology, pathology)
• Carotid Artery, Internal (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Cerebral Angiography
• Drainage (methods)
• Endoscopy (methods)
• Follow-Up Studies
• Head (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Humans
• Intracranial Aneurysm (diagnostic imaging, etiology, pathology)
• Lemierre Syndrome (complications, drug therapy, surgery)
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Sphenoid Sinus (diagnostic imaging, pathology, surgery)
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• Treatment Outcome