title: Cavernous sinus thrombophlebitis masquerading as ischaemic stroke: a catastrophic pitfall in any emergency department.
abstract: Cavernous sinus thrombophlebitis is a clinically rare but fatal disease that progresses rapidly. Its initial presentation is always neglected by emergency physicians, until typical symptoms and signs are noted or thin-slice brain CT results obtained, by which time it is already too late. A case of cavernous sinus thrombophlebitis caused by sinusitis, which initially masqueraded as ischaemic stroke, is reported. Blindness of the left eye was the outcome. High suspicion, accurate diagnosis and aggressive antibiotic treatment are emphasised.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital, 95 Wen-Chang Road, Shih-Lin District, Taipei 11101, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Vei-Ken
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Seow
authors.forename: Chee-Fah
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Tzong-Luen
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chiu-Mei
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: I-Yin
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020226:Cavernous Sinus Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000379:methods; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016896:Treatment Outcome