Cavernous sinus thrombosis of odontogenic origin

The aim of this study was to review the literature regarding septic cavernous sinus thrombosis of odontogenic origin. Searches were made of the electronic databases and reference lists of the pertinent articles between 1990 and 2015. The search strategy produced 161 references, which included 15 studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The literature review showed that the odontogenic focus occurs most frequently from a dental abscess and is related mainly to the third molar followed by the second molar. Dissemination of the infection was observed for the buccal, pterygomandibular, infratemporal and parapharyngeal spaces. Swelling was the most frequent symptom and pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most common infectious agent. Drug treatment has generally been administered using combinations, with vancomycin being the most frequently used. In surgical treatment, patients underwent abscess drainage and dental extraction. It was observed that fewer than 50% of the patients had fully recovered prior to hospital discharge. Considering that odontogenic infections can act as primary sources, dentists are among the professionals responsible not only for diagnosis, but also for prophylaxis and referral for specialized medical treatment.