[Some clinical and imaging aspects of lateral sinus thrombophlebitis]. / Aspecte particulare clinico-imagistice întâlnite în tromboflebita sinusului lateral.

ABSTRACT

AIM: This article focuses on the lateral sinus thrombophlebitis, which is a serious complication of the supurated otopathies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: It is based on a study of a significant number of both exo- and endocranial complications treated in the the "Sf Spiridon" Hospital- ORL department and at the "Prof. dr. N. Oblu"- Neurosurgery department (57 out of 251 cases admitted in the past 5 years). RESULTS: Among the 57 cases, there were 8 lateral sinus thrombophlebitis, as well as 6 cases where meningitis coexisted with other endocranial complications, such as lateral sinus thrombophlebitis or brain abscess. The article contains details about some cases with special problems of diagnostic and treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The symptoms of the presented cases are completely different from the common symptomatology. However, the diagnostic of such cases is possible due to the modern imaging methods as well. The lateral sinus thrombophlebitis is usually determined by different causes, one of them being the misuse of the antibiotics (class and daily/total dose). When endocranial complications occur the symptoms of the meningitis are masking the symptoms of other complications. Even if the CT scan or MRI exams performed right on the patient's admission show no other complications, the patient should be followed for a period of 15 up to 30 days after the treatment of the meningitis, by repeating imaging tests to identify a possible complication.