title: Atypical Lemierre syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lemierre syndrome is a complication of oropharyngeal infection and consists of a combination of internal jugular vein septic thrombophlebitis with septicaemia and distant septic emboli (mainly in the lungs). We describe an atypical case with facial vein and anterior jugular vein thrombophlebitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 34-year-old woman attended the emergency room with tonsillitis, left head and neck cellulitis, left facial vein thrombosis and lung abscesses. A diagnosis of atypical Lemierre syndrome was proposed and the patient was treated surgically (neck incision and tonsillectomy) and medically (antibiotics, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and anticoagulation) allowing cure without sequelae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lemierre syndrome, a rare but serious complication requiring immediate treatment, should be investigated (by blood cultures and chest CT scan) in the presence of neck vein thrombosis complicating oropharyngeal infection.
authors.affiliation: Service d'ORL et chirurgie cervico-faciale, hôpital Claude-Huriez, centre hospitalier régional universitaire de Lille, rue Michel-Polonovski, 59037 Lille cedex, France. Electronic address: michael.risoud@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Risoud
authors.affiliation: Service d'ORL et chirurgie cervico-faciale, hôpital Claude-Huriez, centre hospitalier régional universitaire de Lille, rue Michel-Polonovski, 59037 Lille cedex, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mortuaire
authors.affiliation: Service d'ORL et chirurgie cervico-faciale, hôpital Claude-Huriez, centre hospitalier régional universitaire de Lille, rue Michel-Polonovski, 59037 Lille cedex, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chevalier
authors.affiliation: Service d'ORL et chirurgie cervico-faciale, hôpital Claude-Huriez, centre hospitalier régional universitaire de Lille, rue Michel-Polonovski, 59037 Lille cedex, France.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rysman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005145:Face / Q000098:blood supply; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007601:Jugular Veins; D057831:Lemierre Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000209:etiology
keywords: Facial vein thrombosis; Head and neck cellulitis; Lemierre syndrome