[Post-partum thunderclap headaches in a patient from Burkina Faso: reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndromes]

Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) is considered as rare but is probably under-recognized. It is characterized by the association of acute severe headache and/or focal neurological deficits and/or seizures and segmental vasoconstriction of cerebral arteries that resolve within one to three months. The purpose of this report is to describe the first case of post-partum RCVS from Burkina Faso. Diagnosis of RCVS was based on clinical setting (post-partum), absence of vascular risk factor, sudden onset, rapid resolution of signs and symptoms within eight days, brain scan findings (spontaneous bilateral posterior low density areas of cerebral ischemia), and elimination of other possible causes, i.e., meningeal or cerebellar hemorrhage, cerebral venous thrombosis, HELLP syndrome.