[Dural venous sinus occlusions in hemopathies]

Four men and four women, aged 16 to 43, developed dural sinus thrombosis, five patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (L.A.L.) and three with non Hodgkin malignant lymphoma (N.H.M.L.). All the cases of L.A.L. were F.A.B.-2 subtype without any unusual hematological features. In 6 cases, the disorders occurred during the phase of therapeutical induction (E.O.R.T.C.-A.L.L.-H.R. protocol) at D5, D10, D15, D26, D30, D38, and in 2 cases during maintenance after a period of remission. All patients had received Vincristine and Prednisone, intrathecal Methotrexate in 5 cases, encephalic irradiation in 3 cases and L-Asparaginase in one case. Three women were taking contraceptive drugs. The neurological symptoms and signs were headache due to intracranial hypertension in 6 cases, Grand Mal seizures in 5 cases, focal seizures in 2 cases, a regressive hemiparesis in 4 cases, stupor in 3 cases. CT scan was abnormal in 4 cases, displaying oedema in 3 cases and an hemorrhagic infarction in 1 case. Angiography showed in all cases occlusion of the superior sagittal sinus in 7 cases and of the transverse sinus on 1 case. Six patients received anticoagulant therapy. Outcome was fatal in 3 cases: in 2 cases of L.A.L., the condition worsened rapidly after the onset and death was related to a tentorial herniation; in 1 case of N.H.M.L. death resulted from an intercurrent infection.