| A 42-year-old male presented with right-sided weakness, dysphasia and seizures while climbing the French Alps at an approximate altitude of 3,000 m. Imaging studies were consistent with superior sagittal sinus thrombosis with hemorrhage. Laboratory testing for thrombophilic states, 18 days after presentation at our hospital, showed a low protein C level (0.32 U/ml, normal 0.80-1.60 U/ml). A family member was also found to have protein c deficiency without a history of thrombosis. The patient gradually improved and was discharged on warfarin and valproic acid. This is the first reported case of cerebral venous thrombosis in a patient with congenital protein c deficiency who ascended to high altitude. We postulate that the ascent to high altitude represented an additional prothrombotic risk factor to the congenital protein c deficiency leading to cerebral thrombosis. ( info) |
2/36. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis associated with hepatic cirrhosis. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis is not a recognized complication of end-stage liver disease. A case of sagittal sinus thrombosis in a 44-year-old male with end-stage hepatic cirrhosis is described. Recurrent seizures were the only manifestation. work-up revealed severe deficiency of protein C, protein S, and antithrombin iii. He was treated with low molecular weight heparin and underwent an orthotopic liver transplant after three months. Follow-up helical CT venogram showed resolution of the sinus thrombosis. ( info) |
3/36. Dural sinus thrombosis in a patient with protein s deficiency--case report. A 23-year-old female presented with dural sinus thrombosis caused by protein s deficiency. She suffered superior sagittal sinus thrombosis 6 days after delivering her first child. Past history showed deep vein thrombosis at the age of 20. While conservative management was initiated because of the potential risk of increasing intracranial hemorrhage, several hours later she deteriorated rapidly because of severe brain swelling with massive hemorrhage. The patient died despite surgical decompression. autopsy disclosed organized thrombus in the superior sagittal and transverse sinuses. Although the total concentration of protein S was normal, the free protein S concentration and protein S activity were decreased. protein s deficiency is a rare cause of dural sinus thrombosis, but is associated with a high mortality rate, so accurate diagnosis and urgent intervention are required. ( info) |
4/36. Selective infusion of urokinase and thrombectomy in the treatment of acute cerebral sinus thrombosis. Acute cerebral sinus thrombosis caused a patient to decompensate rapidly and required immediate relief of her venous thrombosis as a life-saving procedure. The thrombus was laced with urokinase and removed from the sinuses with thrombectomy catheters. This reinstituted flow and she recovered full neurologic function within 4 hours. ( info) |
| A two and half year-old-male child, known case of steroid responsive nephrotic syndrome presented with fever and vomiting of acute onset. He was diagnosed to have superior sagittal sinus thrombosis on a contrast computerised tomographic scan of brain. Recovery was complete without anticoagulant therapy. Superior sagittal sinus thrombosis is an extremely rare complication of nephrotic syndrome. ( info) |
6/36. Dural puncture and corticotherapy as risks factors for cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. Dural puncture with corticosteroid could be a predisposing factor for cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT). A 35-year-old woman using oral contraception was treated with corticosteroid epidural infiltration for L5 radiculalgia. The following day a postural headache developed and accidental dural puncture was suspected. Four days later, she presented with fever and consciousness impairment requiring mechanical ventilation. magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) confirmed thrombosis of the superior sagittal sinus. Recanalization was observed three weeks later and the patient fully recovered. blood tests for thrombophilia showed a moderate decrease in the C protein level (chronometric activity 44%, N = 65-130). CVT has been reported after spinal anaesthesia or peridural anaesthesia with accidental puncture. After dural puncture the decrease of cerebrospinal fluid pressure induces a rostrocaudal sagging effect with traumatic damage to the fragile venous endothelial wall, and may trigger a venous vasodilatation with resultant stasis. CVT has also been described in patients after lumbar puncture and oral corticoid treatment for multiple sclerosis and after corticosteroid intrathecal infiltration. Therefore, corticosteroids can be considered as a potential additional procoagulant stimuli. ( info) |
7/36. Endovascular treatment of dural sinus thrombosis with rheolytic thrombectomy and intra-arterial thrombolysis. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cerebral venous thrombosis is a rare entity that can be difficult to manage. Intrasinus thrombolysis is an increasingly applied intervention, but this modality carries an increased risk of hemorrhage. We describe for the first time an option with a potentially lower incidence of intracranial bleeding, the combination of the AngioJet rheolytic thrombectomy catheter with intra-arterial thrombolysis, in 2 patients with extensive dural sinus thromboses, preexisting intracranial hemorrhage, and severe progressive neurological deficits despite heparin therapy. methods: Four procedures were performed in 2 patients with thromboses in the superior sagittal and transverse sinuses (right in 1 patient and bilateral in 1 patient) and cortical veins. Rheolytic thrombectomy was performed in the sigmoid, transverse, straight, and superior sagittal sinuses; this technique involves the use of the Bernoulli effect to create a vacuum that fragments and aspirates thrombus. For associated persistent cortical vein thromboses, low-dose intra-arterial thrombolysis was used. RESULTS: Both patients had excellent angiographic results with sinus reopening after rheolytic thrombectomy and cortical vein reopening after intra-arterial thrombolysis. Follow-up CT showed no change in 1 patient and increased preexisting intracranial hemorrhage in the other. One patient had a negative hypercoagulable workup, and the other patient had probable anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome. At 6 months, both patients had excellent clinical outcome with no neurological deficits except mild short-term memory loss in 1 patient. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of rheolytic thrombectomy with intra-arterial thrombolysis is a treatment modality that allows accelerated recanalization of occluded dural sinuses and cerebral veins with lower doses of thrombolytic agents. ( info) |
8/36. Emergency endovascular treatment of cerebral sinus thrombosis with a rheolytic catheter device. Severe thrombosis of the superior sagittal, transverse, and straight sinuses developed in a 53-year-old woman. This resulted in extensive multifocal hemorrhagic venous infarction and severe intracranial hypertension refractory to intensive management. Endovascular therapy using a rheolytic catheter device in combination with a small amount of fibrinolytic agent led to rapid normalization of the intracranial pressure, allowing optimization of the cerebral perfusion pressures and was followed by steady, albeit protracted, clinical improvement. The patient not only survived but also left the hospital with minimal neurologic deficit. The rheolytic catheter endovascular treatment is, in the opinion of the authors, the treatment of choice for patients with life-threatening cerebral sinus thrombosis. ( info) |
9/36. Combined risk factors contributing to cerebral venous thrombosis in a young woman. Cerebral venous thrombosis is a rare condition affecting predominantly adolescents or young adults. The presentation is often non-specific, and delay in diagnosis is common. The otolaryngologist may be consulted about the radiological findings of lateral sinus thrombosis and mastoid changes. The association of congenital thrombophilia with unusual presentations of venous thrombosis, especially in young individuals is now well documented. We present a case of lateral and sagittal sinus thrombosis complicated by cerebral venous infarction in a girl with protein c deficiency and masked mastoiditis. Unusual forms of venous thrombosis, including cerebral venous thrombosis may develop in association with a single risk factor for thrombosis, but additional risk factors should be sought especially when thrombosis presents in very young individuals. This case draws attention to the multi-causal nature of cerebral venous thrombosis in young adults, and highlights the issue of masked mastoiditis. A coordinated approach by otolaryngological and haematological teams is recommended in such cases. ( info) |
| pneumocephalus secondary to septic superior sagittal sinus thrombosis (SSSST) is extremely rare. We report computed tomography (CT) findings in a 63-year-old man with SSSST caused by the gas-forming organism klebsiella pneumoniae. The patient presented with fever, chills, general weakness, and spontaneous progressive swelling of the right frontoparietal scalp. CT revealed a gas-containing abscess over the right frontoparietal subgaleal region and in the superior sagittal sinus. Surgical drainage of the subgaleal abscess was performed and blood and pus cultures grew klebsiella pneumoniae. The patient died of sepsis on the 6th day of hospitalization. ( info) |