Lemierre's syndrome: a potentially fatal complication that may require vascular surgical intervention.
Septic phlebitis of the internal jugular vein, Lemierre's syndrome, is extremely rare. However, Lemierre's syndrome may cause septic pulmonary emboli or result in fatal systemic sepsis, or both, if a timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment are not provided. We present a case of Lemierre's syndrome that occurred in an otherwise healthy young man. In this case, progression to a moribund state was rapid, and surgical intervention proved lifesaving.
Charles
Kirk
K
Division of Vascular Surgery, University of Maryland Medical Center, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
Flinn
William R
WR
Neschis
David G
DG
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007601:Jugular Veins; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D013577:Syndrome; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology*