Intracranial complications of infections of the tonsil and of the peritonsillar and the pharyngeal region are not common. Infections terminating in meningitis, thrombosis of the cavernous sinus or thrombosis of the internal jugular vein with extension into the cranial sinuses are comparatively more frequent than those terminating in abscess of the brain. A review of the literature discloses only 9 instances of the latter since 1921.
Kernan1 reported the case of a patient who was sick seventeen days. Autopsy revealed abscess of the tonsillar region on the left side and thrombosis of the internal jugular vein extending into the lateral sinus beyond the knee. Both the petrosal and the cavernous sinuses contained partly broken-down clots. An abscess of the left temporal lobe was observed.
Housden2 in 1929 described a case in which, after acute tonsillitis, the patient seemed to get well and was out of bed for three weeks. However,