Deep cerebral venous thrombosis and hereditary tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) deficiency

We describe a patient with defective tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) release who developed internal cerebral vein thrombosis. She recovered completely and, as shown by MRI, favourable outcome was probably related to vascular recanalisation. Other members of the pedigree had a similar fibrinolytic deficiency without clinical manifestations. The use of oral contraceptives may have contributed to the patient's hypercoagulable state.