Septic Thrombophlebitis: Percutaneous Mechanical Thrombectomy and Thrombolytic Therapies

Suppurative thrombophlebitis (Lemierre's syndrome) of the internal jugular vein is a rare and sometimes fatal complication. It commonly occurs from oropharyngeal infections, peripheral lines, complications from dental procedures, gingivitis, or central venous catheterizations. Empiric antibiotics are the initial treatment of choice followed by thrombolytics or surgical thrombectomy in refractory cases. We present a case of septic thrombophlebitis of the right internal jugular vein from a peripherally inserted central venous catheter. We also review the current percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy and thrombolytics therapies for such a rare disorder. Mechanical thrombectomy includes rotational thrombectomy or rheolytic therapies. Devices include the Amplatz thrombectomy device (Microvena), the Arrow-Trerotola Percutaneous thrombolytic device (Arrow), and the Cragg-Casteneda thrombolytic brush (Microtherapeutics). Rheolytic therapies include Angiojet, the Hydrolyzer, and the Oasis Thrombectomy System. Percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy techniques include rotational fragmentation, aspiration or suction thrombectomy, and hydrodynamic thrombectomy. AngioJet catheters may be used for percutaneous embolectomy in conjunction with pulse spray techniques, which instill thrombolytics locally. Thrombolytics include streptokinase, urokinase, and recombinant-tissue plasminogen activator. Mechanical thrombectomy combined with thrombolytics provide optimal treatment results secondary to their complementary effects. Therefore, patients who are refractory to standard medical therapy and considered poor surgical candidates may benefit from combined percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy with thrombolytics to achieve superior results if no contraindications exist for thrombolytics.