Mastoiditis Presenting as Isolated Lateral Sinus Thrombosis and Venous Infarct in an Adult Female: A Case Report

Lateral Sinus Thrombosis (LST) was considered a frequent complication of middle ear infection at the beginning of the last century and mortality reached up to 100% in untreated cases [1]. Over the last fifty years, its incidence has greatly decreased due to the widespread availability of antibiotic drugs and mortality has dropped below 10% [2]. Morbidity, related to LST, is approximately 30% and is associated with septic cardiomyopathy, acute respiratory distress syndrome and seizures [3]. Antibiotic resistance has now been recognized as the main factor for the increasing incidence of LST as a complication of acute and chronic otitis [4]. Especially in young adults, LST is now more often seen in association with a generalized hypercoagulable state, inherited or acquired [5, 6].

A 50 years old postmenopausal female with insignificant past medical, surgical, obstetric and drug history was admitted to the Postgraduate Department of Medicine in January 2015, with history of intermittent fever and headache for two months. Patient had received various medicines (likely oral antibiotics and analgesics) before she developed multiple episodes of vomiting and increased intensity of headache which brought her to our hospital. On general physical examination, patient was febrile with normal vital parameters.