CAVERNOUS SINUS THROMBOSIS

Course overview

CAVERNOUS SINUS THROMBOSIS (CST) IS A RARE, LIFE-THREATENING DISORDER THAT CAN COMPLICATE FACIAL INFECTION, SINUSITIS, ORBITAL CELLULITIS, PHARYNGITIS, OR OTITIS OR FOLLOWING TRAUMATIC INJURY OR SURGERY, ESPECIALLY IN THE SETTING OF A THROMBOPHILIC DISORDER. EARLY RECOGNITION OF CAVERNOUS SINUS THROMBOSIS WHICH, OFTEN PRESENTS WITH FEVER, HEADACHE, EYE FINDINGS SUCH AS PERIORBITAL SWELLING, AND OPHTHALMOPLEGIA, IS CRITICAL FOR A GOOD OUTCOME. DESPITE MODERN TREATMENT WITH ANTIBIOTICS AND ANTICOAGULATION, THE RISK OF LONG-TERM SEQUELAE, SUCH AS VISION, DIPLOPIA, AND STROKE, REMAINS SIGNIFICANT. THIS ACTIVITY EXAMINES WHEN CAVERNOUS SINUS THROMBOSIS SHOULD BE CONSIDERED, HOW TO PROPERLY EVALUATE THIS CONDITION AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN CARING FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.