Acute isolated sphenoid sinusitis in a 4-year-old child: A rare case with an atypical presentation

Abstract

Acute, isolated, sphenoid sinusitis is unusual, especially in children. Its incidence is about 2.7% of all sinus infections and is even rarer in children under the age of six years. It is frequently misdiagnosed because of its atypical presentation and it can cause serious complications because of the sphenoid sinus' anatomical relations with many intracranial structures. We report a case of a previously healthy 4 year old boy, whose sole symptom at presentation was drowsiness. Physical examination and initial laboratory investigations were normal. Diagnosis was made after computed tomography of the head revealed left sphenoiditis. Although under treatment, the child manifested meningism during the first day of hospitalization, which subsided the next day. He was treated with ceftriaxone plus clindamycin and had a good outcome, without complications or neurological sequelae.