Point-of-care ultrasound for Lemierre's syndrome during the COVID-19 pandemic: A case report

Abstract

Lemierre's syndrome is a fatal condition characterized by septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein (IJV). Early diagnosis of Lemierre's syndrome in primary care remains challenging because of its rarity and common initial symptoms like fever and sore throat. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the difficulty of diagnosis, along with many diagnostic delays. Herein, we report a case in which an IJV thrombus was detected using point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), leading to the diagnosis of Lemierre's syndrome. During the COVID-19 pandemic, POCUS was a simple and noninvasive technique for screening Lemierre's syndrome without radiation and low droplet exposure.

Keywords: COVID‐19; Lemierre's syndrome; internal jugular vein thrombus; pandemic; point‐of‐care ultrasound.