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A Case of Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis Presenting During Relapse of Ulcerative Colitis
Abubaker O Abdalla1, Deepti Alluri1, Mohamed Hassaballa1
1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nevada, School of Medicine, Reno, NV, USA.
Insights
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can cause rare but serious blood clots in the brain, known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. Early recognition and treatment are crucial for patients with IBD experiencing neurological symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Gastroenterology
- Hematology
Background:
- Extra-intestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) include thromboembolic events.
- Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare but serious complication of IBD.
Observation:
- A 27-year-old male with a history of ulcerative colitis (UC) presented with seizures and focal neurological deficits during a disease relapse.
- The patient was diagnosed with left CVST complicated by left frontotemporal infarction.
Findings:
- CVST can be a presenting or complicating feature in patients with IBD, particularly during active disease.
- Anticoagulation therapy was initiated for the CVST and infarction.
Implications:
- This case highlights the importance of considering CVST in IBD patients with new-onset neurological symptoms.
- Timely diagnosis and management of CVST are critical to reduce morbidity and mortality in IBD patients.
Abstract:
BACKGROUND Extra-intestinal manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) include thromboembolic events that can present as deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis is a rare complication of IBD that can be associated with high morbidity and mortality. This report is of a case of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis presenting in a young man during a relapse of ulcerative colitis (UC). CASE REPORT A 27-year-old man presented with seizures and focal neurological deficit during a relapse of chronic UC. He was found to have left cerebral venous sinus thrombosis complicated by left frontotemporal infarction that was treated with anticoagulation therapy. CONCLUSIONS Thromboembolic events are well documented extra-intestinal manifestation of IBD. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis is a rare but serious complication that can be fatal. The correct diagnosis and timely management require a high degree of suspicion in patients with IBD who present with a new-onset headache, focal neurological symptoms, seizure, or altered mental status.
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