Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.  2001 Aug;34(8):644-647.

Surgical Treatment of Lemierre's Syndrome: A case report

• Oh JH
• Lee JC
• Lee DH
• Lee JH
• Jung TE
• Han SS

Abstract

Lemierre's syndrome is characterized by a rare fulminant condition resulting from primary oropharyngeal infection followed by secondary septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein and metastatic infection. A forty-year-old man who had been on ventilator due to severe chest trauma, showed severe reddish inflammatory swelling of the right cervical soft tissue and newly developed pneumonia. He went into in septic condition shortly thereafter. Thrombophlebitis with central abscess in the right internal jugular vein was identified by neck CT and MRA(magnetic resonance angiography). Right cervical swelling worsened in spite of clindamycin and heparin therapy. We performed immediate surgery for removal of septic thrombus and resection of internal jugular vein. Patient's septic condition, pneumonia, and local inflammatory reaction were improved within several days after surgery.

Keyword

Lemierre's syndrome; Jugular veins; Thrombophlebitis

MeSH Terms

Abscess
Clindamycin
Heparin
Jugular Veins
Lemierre Syndrome*
Neck
Pneumonia
Thorax
Thrombophlebitis
Thrombosis
Ventilators, Mechanical
Clindamycin
Heparin