Bezold's Abscess and Internal Jugular Vein Thrombosis Extending to the Sigmoid Sinus: Unusual Complications of Cholesteatoma

Bezold's abscess is a rare suppurative complication of mastoiditis arising from chronic otitis media. It is a cervical abscess that spreads from the mastoid insertions of the sternocleidomastoid and digastric muscles due to erosion of the bony cortex at the mastoid tip. Management is both medical and surgical. Since the introduction of antibiotics, the number of reported cases of Bezold's abscess has significantly decreased. We report the case of a 29-year-old patient followed for chronic cholesteatomatous otitis media who presented with an inflammatory right lateral cervical mass. Cervical CT revealed a deep cervical abscess associated with right-sided internal jugular vein and sigmoid sinus thrombosis. We describe the clinical features, diagnostic work-up, and therapeutic management of this rare case.