Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis Caused by Contralateral Sphenoid Sinusitis: a Case Report

Overview

Journal Head Face Med

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialties Dentistry
General Medicine
Orthopedics

Date 2013 Mar 19

PMID 23497466

Citations 10

Authors

Hiroaki Komatsu

Fumihiko Matsumoto

Misato Kasai

Kaori Kurano

Daisuke Sasaki

Katsuhisa Ikeda

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To report a rare case of unilateral cavernous sinus thrombosis caused by contralateral sphenoid sinusitis.

Case Report: A 33-year-old female visited our hospital for severe, right-sided, temporal headache, chemosis, periorbital edema, and proptosis. These signs were associated with congested erythematous nasal mucosa with purulent discharge from the right superior nasal meatus. Contrast enhanced CT showed dilated left superior ophthalmic vein, suggestive of thrombosis, contrast enhancement of the left cavernous sinuses, and dilation of cavernous sinus, indicating cavernous sinus inflammation. The right maxillary, ethmoid and sphenoid sinuses showed mucosal thickening and retention of purulent material. She was diagnosed with cavernous sinus thrombosis caused by contralateral sphenoid sinusitis. All clinical symptoms and signs improved after endoscopic sphenoidotomy and appropriate medical treatment.

Conclusions: Sphenoiditis can cause contralateral cavernous sinus thrombosis. Early surgical sphenoidotomy and aggressive medical treatment are the cornerstones of successful management of this life-threatening complication.

Citing Articles

Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis Associated With Contralateral Pansinusitis: A Case Report.

Gunness D, Duvnjak H, Morris S, Jones H Cureus. 2024; 16(10):e71192.

PMID: 39525222 PMC: 11550107. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.71192.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging Features of the Sphenoid Sinus in Patients with Non-Functioning Pituitary Adenoma.

Ciurea M, Florian I, Lenghel M, Petea-Balea D, Roman A, Albu S Medicina (Kaunas). 2024; 60(5).

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Cavernous sinus and jugular thromboses, base of skull osteomyelitis and cranial nerve palsies: catastrophic complications of sphenoid sinusitis.

Jih W, Shukla T, Gillespie J, Chapman P BMJ Case Rep. 2023; 16(2).

PMID: 36731941 PMC: 9896245. DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2022-253496.

Atypical Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis: A Diagnosis Challenge and Dilemma.

Matthew T, Hussein A Cureus. 2019; 10(12):e3685.

PMID: 30761237 PMC: 6367117. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.3685.

Cavernous sinus thrombosis due to ipsilateral sphenoid sinusitis.

Dolapsakis C, Kranidioti E, Katsila S, Samarkos M BMJ Case Rep. 2019; 12(1).

PMID: 30700458 PMC: 6352844. DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2018-227302.

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