The Management of Otogenic Lateral Sinus Thrombosis – A 6 Year Experience at a Tertiary Care Hospital in North Karnataka, India
1272-1275
Correspondence
Dr. Chandrashekharayya.S.H,
Associate Professor, Department of ENT,
S.Nijalingappa Medical College
Navanagar, Bagalkot.
Karnataka-587101, India.
E-mail: drcshent@rediffmail.com
Introduction: Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media (CSOM) can give rise to serious intracranial complications. Lateral Sinus Thrombosis (LST) is a rare complication but if it left untreated, can give rise to serious consequences. The objective of this study was to put forth a strategy in the management of otogenic lateral sinus thrombosis with the available resources, considering the low socio economic status of many patients who suffer from this rare but fatal condition. This will encourage the young ENT surgeons to handle these cases efficiently.
Materials and Methods: Eleven (11) cases of otogenic lateral sinus thrombosis of a tertiary care teaching hospital in the north Karnataka region of India were included in the study. All the cases presented with various symptoms like otorrhoea, otalgia, headache and fever. The patients were investigated by doing High Resolution Computed Tomography of temporal bone and brain with intravenous contrast. The cases underwent mastoidectomy with opening of the sinus contents and they were covered with intravenous broad spectrum antibiotics. The HRCT of the temporal bone was the only radiological investigation which was carried out in diagnosing the cases, as the patients were from a poor socioeconomic status and as they could not afford to undergo higher investigations like Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Magnetic Resonance Venography (MRV) to confirm the diagnosis because of their high costs.
Results: There were no deaths. A combined management strategy of surgery with antibiotics gave a good prognosis in these cases.
Conclusion: In this era of antibiotics, a high degree of clinical suspicion with a proper investigation, followed by a prompt surgical intervention, gives good results in the cases of lateral sinus thrombosis.