Abstract
Three case studies demonstrate current views on the diagnosing and treatment of thrombosis of the sigmoid sinus. The factors causing thrombosis are of infectious and non-infectious nature.
The cause of infectious thrombosis is acute mastoiditis which is frequent in children and is usually linked with a state of hypercoagulation, or a long-term chronic middle ear inflammation with cholesteatoma, especially in adult patients with an immune system disorder or diabetes mellitus. Non-infectious thrombosis primarily develops as a result of disturbed coagulation and prevailingly affects young women, female smokers, pregnant women or women taking hormonal contraception.
The treatment of inflammatory otogenous thrombosis of sigmoid sinus is based on the administration of antibiotics and surgical sanitation of the temporal bone; administration of anticoagulation medication and surgical treatment of the thrombus is still an issue.