Septic cavernous sinus thrombosis following transsphenoidal craniotomy. Case report.
The authors present a case of late-onset cavernous sinus thrombosis in a 74-year-old man who had undergone transsphenoidal craniotomy for a pituitary macroadenoma 9 weeks previously. The patient developed headache, rapidly progressive ophthalmoplegia, and signs of orbital congestion. After 2 days of ineffective broad spectrum antibiotic therapy he underwent a second transsphenoidal craniotomy for abscess drainage. Intraoperative cultures grew 4+ non-hemolytic Streptococcus, 4+ Staphylococcus coagulase negative, and 4+ Haemophilus influenzae. The patient was maintained on intravenous antibiotic therapy for the following 6 weeks, resulting in a complete clinical recovery. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a septic cavernous sinus thrombosis following a transsphenoidal craniotomy.
Sadun
F
F
Institute of Ophthalmology, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy.
Feldon
S E
SE
Weiss
M H
MH
Krieger
M D
MD
D000368:Aged; D002426:Cavernous Sinus / Q000473:pathology*; D003399:Craniotomy; D006801:Humans; D002542:Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*