A unilateral brachiocephalic vein thrombosis: cause of a rare, transient ischemic attack, a case report and review of the literature

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis presenting as transient ischemic attacks: A case report

Cerebral sinus venous thrombosis (CSVT) is a rare form of venous thromboembolism. Recurrent transient ischemic attacks were extremely rare clinical manifestation of CSVT. We reported a case of transient ischemic attack as an exceptionally rare form of CSVT. A 29-year-old woman presented with a headache and four episodes of a transient right limb weakness, numbness, and dysphasia lasting approximately 15 mins over the course of 2 weeks. Magnetic resonance venography revealed a superior sagittal sinus thrombosis with numerous prominent enlarged and dilated venous. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed venous infarction of the left frontal lobe. Transient ischemic attack-like episodes stopped with anticoagulation. We suggested that the patients with transient ischemic attack and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure should be carefully investigated in terms of CSVT.

Left brachiocephalic venous thrombus initially presenting as acute aortic syndrome

Upper extremity deep venous thrombosis (UEDVT) is rare but carries significant morbidity. Primary UEDVT presents non-specifically and there are no clear diagnostic or management guidelines, which are essential for early treatment to prevent potentially devastating complications such as pulmonary embolus or post-thrombotic pain syndrome. A patient with left brachiocephalic vein UEDVT initially diagnosed radiographically as an acute aortic syndrome and referred to a cardiothoracic unit is presented. Computed tomography venogram confirmed the diagnosis of UEDVT and therapeutic anticoagulation was started. This case highlights the need for validated diagnostic and management algorithms for UEDVT. Furthermore, this relatively rare condition should be considered for patients with acute chest pain and abnormal imaging referred to surgical units.