Lemierre's syndrome as a consequence of acute supraglottitis

Lemierre's syndrome comprises internal jugular vein thrombosis following oropharyngeal sepsis and is a rare and serious condition. It is most commonly caused by the anaerobe Fusobacterium necrophorum and typically presents as metastatic sepsis to the lungs and joints. Thrombosis is demonstrated by computed tomography (CT) of the neck, and it is routinely treated with intravenous antibiotics and anti-coagulation. We describe a case of Lemierre's syndrome following acute supraglottitis. The clinical features were of retrograde intracranial thrombosis, rather than the more usual metastatic sepsis.