Endoscopic sphenoid sinus drainage in Lemierre syndrome

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. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.