Cerebral venous thrombosis in young adults: 2 Case reports

Cerebral venous thrombosis as a rare cause of nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy: Case series in a single referral center and literature review

Objectives

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) in early pregnancy is extremely rare and evidence limited to only a few published reports. This study aims to present our experience and summarize the available literature to further elucidate the clinical manifestations, treatment, and outcomes of CVT in early pregnancy.

Methods

A retrospective case series of seven patients diagnosed with CVT in early pregnancy (<12 weeks of gestations) in a tertiary referral center (2018–2021), along with a review of published literature.

Results

All the patients presented with nausea, vomiting, headaches, and neurological symptoms including aphasia (n = 5, 71.4%), limb weakness (n = 4, 57.1%), seizures (n = 2, 28.6%), altered mental status (n = 3, 42.9%), and blurred vision (n = 2, 28.6%). All the patients were diagnosed with CVT by neuroimaging, which revealed various extents of sinus involvement, with the transverse sinus being the most common site (n = 7, 100%) followed by the sigmoid sinus (n = 5, 71.4%). All the patients received subcutaneous low-molecular-weight heparin once the diagnosis was confirmed. Two patients with rapid deterioration underwent venous thrombectomy, and one patient subsequently underwent decompressive craniotomy but died despite the above interventions. All the other patients proceeded with induced abortion after stabilization and were discharged on oral anticoagulation for 1 year. On the 12-month follow-up, the MRI/magnetic resonance venography (MRV) revealed recanalization of sinuses and resolution of thrombi.

Conclusions

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) in early pregnancy represents a diagnostic challenge given its rarity and nonspecific overlapping clinical features with nausea and vomiting of pregnancy/hyperemesis gravidarum (NVP/HG), which could lead to delay in diagnosis and result in rapid deterioration. Persistent or aggravating headaches combined with other focalizing neurological symptoms in NVP/HG patients could be an initial sign of CVT. Urgent MRI/MRV remains the cornerstone for diagnosis, and immediate anticoagulation is the key for disease prognosis. Glasgow coma scale (GCS) evaluation on admission is probably correlated with the prognosis. Early pregnancy combined with CVT is not a contraindication of continued pregnancy.

Cerebral Venous Thrombosis after SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccination against COVID-19

In the last 3 years, COVID-19 pandemic has produced great impacts on global population in terms of health and social costs. Pneumonia represents only one of several pathologies associated to COVID-19 disease. Among these, the cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), constitutes an important cause of stroke. Here, we report a case of CVT diagnosed approximately 2 weeks after first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination, in a patient affected by COVID-19 few months earlier. He presented with headache and severe asthenia. The laboratory tests put in evidence thrombocytopenia and D-dimer elevation. A brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and a computed tomography (CT) demonstrated hemorrhagic and ischemic phenomena on the right ventral thalamic nuclei, left thalamus, hippocampal and parahippocampal regions and the splenium of the corpus callosum. The study revealed a poorly opacified vein of Galeno and straight sinus. Heparin administration improved his clinical status; platelets values also arose over time.

Cerebral Vein Thrombosis in the Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Analysis of a Series of 27 Patients and Review of the Literature

(1) Background: The Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by arterial and/or venous thrombosis, pregnancy morbidity and raised titers of antiphospholipid antibodies. Cerebral vein thrombosis (CVT) is a rare form of cerebrovascular accident and an uncommon APS manifestation; the information in the literature about this feature consists of case reports and small case series. Our purpose is to describe the particular characteristics of CVT when occurs as part of the APS and compare our series with the patients published in the literature. (2) Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study collecting data from medical records in three referral centers for APS and CVT, and a systematic review of the literature for CVT cases in APS patients. (3) Results: Twenty-seven APS patients with CVT were identified in our medical records, the majority of them diagnosed as primary APS and with the CVT being the first manifestation of the disease; additional risk factors for thrombosis were identified. The review of the literature yielded 86 cases, with similar characteristics as those of our retrospective series. (4) Conclusions: To our knowledge, our study is the largest CVT series in APS patients published to date, providing a unique point of view in this rare thrombotic manifestation.

Cerebral Vein Sinus Thrombosis in Obstetrics and Gynecology Practice

Amaç. Serebral Ven Sinüs Trombozu (SVST) çok çeşitli ve nonspesifik semptomlarla kendini gösteren ve farklı etiyolojilere bağlı olarak ortaya çıkan klinik bir durumdur. Tanısı kolayca konulamayan nadir bir hastalıktır. SVST gelişen olgularda, jinekolojik ve obstetrik nedenlerin araştırılmasını amaçladık. Gereç ve Yöntemler. Fırat Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Hastanesi’ne Kasım 2010 ile Kasım 2020 tarihleri arasında nörolojik şikayetlerle başvuran, yapılan değerlendirmede SVST tanısı konulan olgular ile obstetrik/jinekolojik nedenlerle SVST gelişen kadınlar, retrospektif olarak incelendi. Kadınların başvuru şikâyetleri, nöroradyolojik bulguları ve uygulanan tedaviler kayıtlardan tespit edildi. Verilerin değerlendirmesinde tanımlayıcı istatistik kullanıldı. Bulgular. Çalışmanın yapıldığı dönemde 166 olguya SVST tanısı konuldu. Olguların 105’i kadın (% 63,2) ve 61’i erkek (% 36,8) idi. 15 olguda (% 9) obstetrik ve jinekolojik nedenlere sekonder SVST geliştiği tespit edildi. En sık semptom baş ağrısı (%80) ve en sık bulgu papil ödemi (%20) ile birlikte hemiparezi (%13,3) ve hemipleji (%6,7) olarak tespit edildi. Çalışmaya dâhil edilen altı olgu (%40) puerperal dönemde idi. Bunlardan iki olgu (%13,3) vaginal yolla, dört olgu (%26,7) ise sezaryenle doğum yapmıştı. Olgulardan beş tanesi (%33,3) gebe idi. Gebelerin tamamı gebeliğin 3. trimesterinde bulunuyordu. Bir olguda (%6,7) mastoidit geliştiği ve 4 ay öncesinde vaginal yolla doğum yaptığı tespit edildi. Bir olgunun puerperal dönemde olduğu ve eşlik eden sinüzit enfeksiyonu bulunduğu (%6,7), ayrıca aile öyküsünde postpartum derin trombozu varlığı tespit edildi. İki olgunun (% 13,3) kombine oral kontraseptif (OKS) kullandığı, bunlardan birinde MTHFR homozigot mutasyon varlığı ve homosistein yüksekliği tespit edildi. Olguların tamamı değerlendirildiğinde 7 olguda (%46,7) kalıtsal trombofili tanısı mevcuttu. Sonuç. SVST olgularında gebelik, puerperal dönem ve OKS kullanımı başta olmak üzere, obstetrik ve jinekolojik nedenler %10’a yakın yer tutar ve değerlendirme sırasında göz önünde bulundurulmalıdır.

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in pregnancy and puerperium: A pooled, systematic review

Pregnancy and puerperium are risk factors for cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST); however studies describing diagnosis and management in this population are limited. The objective of this study was to amalgamate published case reports and series regarding diagnosis and management of CVST in pregnancy and puerperium. Searches of PubMed and the Cochrane library were performed using search terms "pregnancy"/"puerperium" and "sinus occlusion"/"sinus thrombosis". Studies were included in our pooled analysis if they included individual patient symptoms, management approach and follow-up condition. Multivariate regression was utilized to assess the effect of non-modifiable factors on excellent outcome (mRS 0). Sixty-six patients were included. Mean duration of symptom onset to diagnosis was 5.9days (95% CI 4.2-7.6). Clot involvement of the superior sagittal sinus was seen in 67% of cases, the transverse/sigmoid in 64% and of the deep venous system in 15% of cases. Management approaches included anticoagulation (91% of patients), IA (intra-arterial) thrombolysis alone (26%), and IA thrombectomy with IA thrombolysis (8%). Fifty-nine percent of patients were mRS 0 at follow-up; 94% were mRS 0-2. Presentation with headache alone was associated with excellent outcome on multivariate analysis (p=0.04); coma/obtundation predicted against excellent outcome (p=0.03). As compared to IA thrombolysis alone, patients undergoing IA thrombolysis with IA thrombectomy demonstrated a trend toward better outcome (p=0.10).

Direct thrombolysis for cerebral venous sinus thrombosis

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is an increasingly diagnosed disease with a wide range of symptoms, ranging from a mild headache to cerebral herniation. A potentially devastating syndrome, CVST has been associated with a mortality rate of 6-10%. In prospective studies, the overall rate of death and dependency from CVST ranges from 8.8 to 44.4%. Systemic anticoagulation remains the first-line treatment. However, a percentage of patients deteriorate despite medical therapy. These cases have resulted in the development of thrombolysis or endovascular treatment for CVST. Initial reports of the use of endovascular treatment of CVST have been promising. However, enthusiasm for the use of endovascular thrombolysis and thrombectomy should be tempered by an understanding of possible risks such as intracerebral hemorrhage and/or vessel dissection. The authors review the literature regarding endovascular treatment of CVST with a description of the chemical and mechanical thrombolytic techniques.

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis risk factors

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis is an uncommon disease marked by clotting of blood in cerebral venous, or dural sinuses, and, in rare cases, cortical veins. It is a rare but potentially fatal cause of acute neurological deterioration previously related to otomastoid, orbit, and central face cutaneous infections. After the advent of antibiotics, it is more often related to neoplasm, pregnancy, puerperium, systemic diseases, dehydration, intracranial tumors, oral contraceptives, and coagulopathies are the most common causes, but in 30% of cases no underlying etiology can be identified. It has been found in association with fibrous thyroiditis, jugular thrombosis after catheterization, or idiopathic jugular vein stenosis. Other factors include surgery, head trauma, arterio-venous malformations, infection, paraneoplastic, and autoimmune disease. This article presents a comprehensive review of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis etiologies.

Sigmoid and transverse sinus thrombosis caused by mastoid implant – case report

INTRODUCTION

Extraoral craniofacial implants are often used for retention of auricular prostheses. In this case report, the rare complication of sigmoid and transverse sinus thrombosis after implant placement in the mastoid is described.

CASE REPORT

A 36-year-old man with congenital hypoplasia of the right ear was treated with an implant-based auricular prosthesis. One of the three implants in the mastoid area had to be removed because of an infection, whereas the other two implants were removed at the patient's request. Twenty-four days after implant removal, he was seen with sigmoid and transverse sinus thrombosis and successfully treated with fibrinolytic and consecutive anticoagulation therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Implants in the mastoid area are a very important aid for retention of auricular prostheses, but may have life-threatening intracranial consequences.

Deficiency of protein S-mediated familial venous thrombophilia--a case report

Deficiency of protein S causes potential problems of thrombosis. Cases of familial venous thrombosis due to deficiency of protein S were presented. First, an 85-year-old woman had pulmonary thromboembolism due to left deep femoral venous thrombosis, which might be triggered by leg fracture and the long-term treatment with a plaster cast. Next, her 29-year-old granddaughter had episodes of recurrent venous thrombosis in her legs and arms, which might be triggered by the treatment with a plaster cast and abortion. In the latter part, the aspects of risks for thromboembolism, potential problems in gestational period, and an advisability of thromboprophylaxis in patients with deficiency of protein S are described.