Lateral sinus thrombosis and brain abscess as a complication of cholesteatoma.

Intracranial complications of otitis media are still a condition of risk with a high mortality rate, notwithstanding the significant reduction of such complication with the advent of antibiotics. Although less frequent, chronic cholesteatomatous otitis media is usually associated with the highest risk of complications, given its destructive and invasive potential. These complications may be subdivided didactically into temporal and extratemporal conditions. The most common intracranial complications include: meningitis, cerebral abscess and lateral sinus thrombosis,1 the latter being present in 5 to 18,3% of intracranial complications due to otitis. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging provide an early diagnosis and may detect other intracranial complications. Aggressive surgical therapy is mandatory.