Seizure in Pregnancy Following Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis

Postpartum cerebral venous sinus thrombosis following obstetric neuraxial blockade: a literature review with analysis of 58 case reports

BACKGROUND

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare complication of pregnancy. It usually presents with a headache and may mimic a post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) in women who receive a neuraxial block.

METHODS

Medline, CINAHL and EMBASE databases were searched to identify postpartum cases of CVST following neuraxial block. The aim was to delineate the characteristics, presentation, investigations, and outcomes of postpartum women who presented with CVST.

RESULTS

Forty-nine articles with 58 case reports were identified. Forty-two women (72.4%) had an epidural attempted whilst 16 women (27.6%) received a spinal anaesthetic. Accidental dural puncture (ADP) was reported in 17 women (40.5%). Headache was the presenting symptom in 57 women (98.3%); 26 women (44.8%) also experienced seizures. Post-dural puncture headache was reported in 46 (79.3%) and an epidural blood patch was performed in 26 women (44.8%). Superior sagittal sinus, transverse sinus, and cortical veins were the most common sites of thrombosis. The median time to diagnosis was 6.5 days from delivery. Magnetic resonance imaging was the most common diagnostic neuro-imaging modality. Full neurological recovery was reported in 48 (82.8%), whilst neurological deficits were reported in six (10.3%) women.

DISCUSSION

The diagnosis of CVST may be overlooked in women who present with headache following neuraxial block. A change in character of headache with loss of postural element, and focal neurological signs are the key clinical features that could help anaesthetists differentiate headache of CVST from PDPH. The high reported rates of ADP and PDPH lend support to their possible association with CVST.

New-onset epilepsy in pregnant women: clinical features and delivery outcomes

INTRODUCTION

Most seizures during pregnancy occur in women who already have epilepsy. Rarely, some women may have their first seizure during pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical features and pregnancy outcomes in women with new-onset epilepsy during pregnancy.

METHODS

112 pregnant women with epilepsy were prospectively evaluated at the Education - Therapeutic Clinic of the Azerbaijan Medical University, in the neurological and maternity departments of the Clinical Medical Center in Baku over a six-year period. Women were regularly followed by a neurologist and obstetrician till the end of pregnancy. To determine the recurrence of seizures during the pregnancy and after delivery, the women were followed up at least once per three months for a one year period after delivery. Delivery and perinatal outcomes were compared with those of 277 healthy women in the control group (without epilepsy and without registering chronic diseases).

RESULTS

Of the 112 pregnant women with epilepsy, 12 (10.7%) had their first seizures during the pregnancy: 6 in the 1^st, 4 in the 2^nd, 2 in the 3^rd trimester. Women with new-onset epilepsy had increased risk of cesarean section and perinatal hypoxia in offspring, compared with controls (Odds ratio [OR]: 13.57; 95% confidence interval (CI):2.86-64.31 and OR: 3.61; 95 % CI: 1.06-12.27, respectively). The risks of cesarean section and perinatal hypoxia were not increased in women with new-onset epilepsy compared to women with epilepsy before pregnancy (OR 2.64; 95 % CI 0.54-12.93 and OR 2.18, 95% CI 0.61-7.76, respectively).

CONCLUSION

In our cohort, women with new-onset epilepsy may have an increased risk of delivery by cesarean section and perinatal hypoxia compared to pregnant controls. The risks were not increased compared to women with epilepsy before pregnancy. Neonatal hypoxia was associated with delivery by cesarean section.

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis complicated by seizures: a retrospective analysis of 69 cases

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare ischemic cerebrovascular disease. The aim of this retrospective observational study was to investigate the risk factors for complication of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis by seizures and to explore the impact of such seizures on clinical outcomes. Patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis with or without epileptic seizures were retrospectively analyzed and compared in terms of clinical variables, causative factors, clinical presentation, and imaging data. In all, 69 patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis were enrolled in this study, 32 (46.38%) of whom had experienced secondary seizures. Compared with those with no seizures, significantly more patients with secondary seizures had hemiplegia (37.50 vs. 15.63%; P = 0.020), bleeding (29.40 vs. 10.81%; P = 0.047), lesions involving the frontal (31.25 vs. 10.81%; P = 0.023) and temporal lobe (43.75 vs. 8.11%; P = 0.005), and thrombosis in the superior sagittal sinus (65.63 vs. 40.54%; P = 0.036). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed focal neurological deficits (P = 0.004, odds ratio = 5.16, 95% CI 1.99–15.76) and thrombosis of the superior sagittal sinus (P = 0.039, odds ratio = 0.13, 95% CI 0.04–0.37) were independent risk factors for secondary seizures in patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. In addition, mortality rate (9.38 vs. 5.41%; P = 0.469) and 90-day excellent prognosis rate (81.25 vs. 86.47%; P = 0.793) did not differ significantly between patients with and without epileptic seizures. The presence of focal neurological deficits and thrombosis of the superior sagittal sinus are independent risk factors for secondary seizures in patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, whereas mortality and 90-day prognosis have no correlation with secondary seizures.

Pre-eclampsia and acute pulmonary embolism-the importance of making a differential diagnosis: a case report

We describe the case of a 41-year-old pregnant patient who presented at 38 weeks of gestation for an urgent cesarean section, with new onset of pre-eclampsia as the initial diagnosis. The intraoperative course was complicated by seizures and hemodynamic collapse. Initially, the presentation of seizure pointed to pre-eclampsia/eclampsia; however, with careful consideration of each event as it occurred, the correct diagnosis was later determined to be pulmonary embolism and stroke. This case illustrates the importance of considering multiple possible etiologies, even when a particular diagnosis seems obvious.

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).

Mechanical thrombectomy with Solitaire AB stents for the treatment of intracranial venous sinus thrombosis

Background Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare clinicopathological entity with substantial diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas. The appropriate management of CVST remains to be defined. Purpose To evaluate the efficiency and safety of mechanical thrombectomy with Solitaire AB stents for the treatment of intracranial venous sinus thrombosis. Material and Methods Twenty-three consecutive patients with CVST who were treated with mechanical thrombectomy using Solitaire AB stents between January 2013 and October 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. The headache intensity was evaluated according to the visual analogue scale (VAS), and neurological function was assessed using the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Follow-up data were available for all patients for 6-14 months. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance venography (MRV) were performed at 3 and 6 months after neurointervention, and telephone interviews were performed monthly thereafter. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare the evaluation data (VAS and NIHSS) at admission and discharge. Results Twenty-six Solitaire AB stents were used. No neurointervention-related complications were noted. The symptoms were significantly improved after neurointervention in all patients. The comparisons between the VAS and NIHSS evaluations at admission and discharge were significantly different ( P < 0.05). No recurrence was observed during the follow-up period. Conclusion Mechanical thrombectomy with Solitaire AB stents is safe and effective for the treatment of CVST and can significantly improve clinical symptoms. The occurrence of complications is low, and the prognosis is favorable.