Lemierre's syndrome: A serious complication of a routine dental procedure

Abstract

Lemierre's syndrome is the clinical presentation characterized by oropharyngeal or tonsillar infection, anaerobic septicaemia often with distant septic emboli, and clinical or radiological evidence of thrombosis of the internal jugular vein. We report a case of Lemierre's syndrome in a 44-year-old type II diabetic male. This case is unique for two reasons. Firstly, we believe it is the first reported iatrogenic case following a routine dental procedure. Secondly, the internal jugular vein thrombosis was found to occur on the contralateral side to the primary infection. © 2013 Australian Dental Association.