[Internal jugular thrombophlebitis: complications of the cervical oncological surgery. A case report].

Internal jugular vein thrombophlebitis is an infrequent complications, associated in the past to pharyngeal and amygdaline infections but related today to the use of catheters and intravenous drugs. The present paper reports the case of a patient who underwent total laryngectomy and functional neck dissection, developing recurrent neumonias and sepsis in the postoperative period which were secondary to an homolateral jugular thrombophlebitis. A physical exploration with no findings and the poor resolution of CT scan and ultrasound due to postsurgical alterations, lead to a late diagnosis and fatal evolution, in spite of the medical and surgical treatment.