• Elizabeth Ball, Gareth Morris-Stiff, Mari Coxon, and Michael H Lewis.
• Department of Surgery, Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Ynysmaerdy, Llantrisant, Wales, UK. garethmorrisstiff@hotmail.com.
• J Med Case Rep. 2007 Dec 20; 1: 184.

IntroductionInternal jugular vein thrombosis (IJVT) is a rare but potentially fatal condition. It usually arises following trauma to the internal jugular vein but is also seen in association with coagulopathies and advanced malignancies as part of a para-neoplastic syndrome.Case PresentationWe report a case of a 44 year old woman with a strong past medical history and family history of thrombotic disease who presented with abdominal pain and ascites. A stage III ovarian carcinoma was diagnosed and she underwent debulking of the tumour. She sustained a peri-operative haemorrhage and required insertion of a central line into the right internal jugular vein. At one month follow-up she presented as an emergency with a left neck mass and painful swallowing. A duplex ultrasound of her neck identified a left IJVT to the level of the brachiocephalic vein which had occurred despite warfarinisation and an INR of greater than 2. She was commenced on intravenous heparin and the swelling resolved over the course of a week.ConclusionThis case illustrates an unusual presentation of a rare condition. In this case, the precise aetiology is unclear as the IJVT may have been related to a coagulopathy or the presence of advanced malignancy and occurred despite adequate anticoagulation.

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