title: Challenging presentations of cavernous sinus thrombophlebitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to describe two challenging cases of septic cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST), which presented with vastly different clinical signs and symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present two cases of CST with markedly differing clinical presentations, medical comorbidities, and degree of impairment. Initial imaging of each patient failed to show thromboembolic disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both patients required multiple imaging procedures to arrive at the correct diagnosis. Each child did respond to treatment once the correct diagnosis was made.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CST can have a highly variable clinical presentation, from a subtle sixth nerve palsy to complete ophthalmoplegia and loss of periorbital sensation and corneal reflex. Onset of symptoms may be acute and fulminant or indolent and delayed. The diagnosis is challenging, requiring clinical suspicion and confirmation by imaging. These cases illustrate the importance of retaining clinical suspicion when cranial nerve palsies persist and how valuable rescanning a patient can be.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Ave, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA, krausc@vision.wustl.edu.
authors.forename: Courtney L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Culican