Gradenigo syndrome - maybe not

Dural venous sinus thrombosis is a known but uncommon intracranial extradural complication of chronic suppurative otitis media. It is a life threatening condition, which occurs from spread of inflammation from the middle ear into the sigmoid sinus complex; through hematogenous spread or directly through localized bone erosion. In this report, we describe a unique case of an adolescent boy with chronic otitis media who developed venous sinus thrombosis (VST) from mastoiditis. He presented with bilateral abducens palsy and papilledema that was initially mistaken as Gradenigo's syndrome.