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Cerebral venous thrombosis: a case report

Nishant Anand1, Carmie Chan, N Ewen Wang

  • 1Stanford Kaiser Emergency Medicine Residency Program, Stanford, California, USA.

The Journal of Emergency Medicine
|November 3, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) affects adults and children, often presenting with severe headaches. While treatment options vary, earlier diagnosis is improving patient outcomes for this rare condition.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Vascular Medicine

Background:

  • Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a rare condition with an incidence of 3-4 per million adults and 7 per million children.
  • CVT can present with diverse neurological signs and symptoms, most commonly severe headache in adults.

Observation:

  • A case of CVT in a 19-year-old woman with a history of migraines is presented.
  • Frequently affected sinuses include the lateral, cavernous, and superior sagittal sinuses.
  • Risk factors encompass prothrombotic conditions, pregnancy, and the peripartum period.

Findings:

  • Computed tomography may reveal the "delta sign," while MRI with MR venography offers higher sensitivity for diagnosis.
  • Current treatment strategies, including anticoagulation, fibrinolysis, mechanical thrombectomy, and surgery, remain a subject of debate.

Implications:

  • Despite controversial management, the prognosis for CVT has improved due to increased diagnostic frequency.
  • Early and accurate diagnosis of CVT is crucial for better patient outcomes.

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