Lateral sinus thrombophlebitis and cervical abscess as a complication of chronic otitis media

Abstract

To focus on two rare complications of cholesteatomatous chronic otitis media. A case of two simultaneous complications of cholesteatoma (lateral sinus thrombophlebitis and Bezold's cervical abscess) in a 7 year-old boy is reported. Thereafter, a review of the international literature about both complications is carried out. A 7 year-old white male patient was referred for assessment with high fever, obnubilation, cervical mass and otorrhea, being non-responsive to the clinic treatment, with the diagnostic hypothesis of infectious parotitis. The clinical examination and radiologic study demonstrated lateral sinus thrombophlebitis and cervical abscess due to cholesteatoma in the right ear. After being submitted to surgery and prolonged intravenous antibiotic therapy, the patient presented a favorable outcome, with little morbidity. Despite the incidence of complications of otitis had decreased in the last decades, they are still a challenge for the clinician, especially because of the insidious manner of presentation, usually hidden with the indiscriminate use of antibiotics.