Cerebral dural sinus thrombosis following cisplatin chemotherapy

Two patients with cerebral dural sinus thrombosis (CST) following cisplatin therapy are presented. Cisplatin is a well-recognized risk factor for coagulation disorders and thrombosis, but is not known to be associated with CST. Clinicians should be aware of the potential risk for the development of CST following cisplatin therapy.     

硬脑膜静脉窦血栓形成的血管内介入治疗

目的 探讨硬脑膜静脉窦血栓形成(DVST)的血管内介入治疗。方法 11例由CT、MRI、DSA确诊的硬脑膜静脉窦血栓形成患者经皮股动、静脉穿刺给予介入治疗；围手术期规范抗凝、抗血小板聚集等综合治疗。结果 2例患者临床症状戏剧性改善，10例患者临床症状消失或好转，1例无变化；术后影像学均有不同程度的改善；1例机械辅助溶栓患者介入治疗时发生导丝断裂；1例机械辅助溶栓后置人支架未成功；术中、术后无其它相关并发症发生。出院时临床痊愈5例，显效3例，好转2例，无效1例。随访9例患者3～6月无复发。结论 多种介入方法联合治疗DVST的方法是可行的且安全有效。是值得在临床推广的治疗DVST的方法，其远期效果尚需观察。     

Features of dural sinus thrombosis simulating pseudotumor cerebri

To characterize dural sinus thrombosis (DST) patients presenting with a syndrome simulating pseudotumor cerebri (PTC), medical records of patients initially diagnosed as having PTC between 1980 and 1995 were analysed. Inclusion criteria were intracranial hypertension (IH) and a normal initial computed tomography (CT) scan. All patients underwent angiography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance venography (MRV). Patients with IH secondary to a determined disorder were excluded from the study. Forty-six patients were included, 12 patients had MRI/MRV or angiography findings compatible with DST and the remaining 34 patients had no vascular pathology on neuroimaging studies and were considered to have PTC. No clinical or auxiliary findings differed between the two groups except for younger age, which delineated the PTC patients. Two patients with DST died during the study. Both were agitated, had a relatively rapid course of symptom progression, and a CSF pressure of over 40 cm water. We conclude that DST can be identified in 26% of patients presenting with symptoms and signs typical of PTC. It may be impossible to differentiate between patients with and without DST if MRI/MRV or angiography are not performed in this scenario. Copyright Lippincott Williams & Wilkins     

Seizures in cerebral vein and dural sinus thrombosis

To describe early symptomatic and late seizures in a cohort of patients with acute cerebral vein and dural sinus thrombosis (CVDST) and to identify their determinants, we performed a prospective registry and follow-up study of CVDST patients admitted to 20 Portuguese hospitals, from June 1995 to June 1998. Of 91 registered patients, 31 (34%) had early symptomatic seizures; 29 (31.9%) as a presenting feature and 2 (2.1%) after admission. Early symptomatic seizures were more frequent in patients with motor and sensory deficits and in those with focal oedema/ischaemic infarcts or haemorrhages on admission CT/MR. On multivariate logistic regression analysis, sensory defects (OR = 7.8; 95% CI = 0.8-74.8) and a parenchymal lesion on admission CT/MR (OR = 3.7, 95% CI = 1.4-9.4) were found to be significant predictors of early symptomatic seizures. Seizures were directly related to acute death in 2 patients. Eight (9.5%) patients had late seizures, which were multiple in 4 (4.8%). Late seizures were more frequent in patients with early symptomatic seizures and with haemorrhage on admission CT/MR. Neither early symptomatic seizures nor late seizures were related to functional prognosis at the last follow-up (median = 1 year). There is a moderate risk of seizure recurrence early in the course and during the first year after CVDST. Seizures can be a cause of acute death, but might not have an independent influence on functional outcome. Pharmacological prevention of seizures after CVDST should probably be limited to patients with early symptomatic seizures and cerebral lesions on admission CT/MR.     

Venous transcranial Doppler in acute dural sinus thrombosis

The value of conventional transcranial Doppler ultrasound in the diagnosis and monitoring of cerebral vein thrombosis is unclear. Previous studies have suggested the usefulness of this method in two cases with superior sagittal sinus thrombosis that showed increased velocities of deep cerebral veins. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the deep intracranial venous circulation in patients with that pathology. Venous transcranial Doppler ultrasound was performed with a range-gated 2 MHz transducer in 17 healthy volunteers and in six cases of proven acute superior sagittal sinus thrombosis. Peak systolic, end diastolic and mean blood flow velocities were measured in the basal vein of Rosenthal (BVR) and deep middle cerebral vein (DMCV) through a posterior temporal window. In 16 controls and in one patient, the straight sinus was also studied through an occipital approach. Sex distribution and mean age of controls and patients were similar. Mean blood flow velocities in controls were as follows (mean, SD): DMCV, 10.4, 1.4 cm/s; BVR, 11.3, 1.8 cm/s; straight sinus, 29.5, 9.9 cm/s. Three of the patients with superior sagittal sinus thrombosis showed increased velocities either in the DMCV, the BVR or the straight sinus. One patient showed slightly increased velocities in the BVR, and the other two showed normal venous velocity values. This study confirms the usefulness of conventional transcranial Doppler ultrasound in detecting superior sagittal sinus thrombosis. However, a normal examination does not exclude this diagnosis. Received: 7 August 1997 Received in revised form: 9 December 1997 Accepted: 31 December 1997     

Treatment of dural sinus thrombosis using selective catheterization and urokinase

Thrombosis of the cerebral dural venous sinuses, cortical draining veins, and deep cerebral veins is a rare clinical finding. Because of its low incidence and multiple etiologies, the optimum therapy for this condition will only be elucidated by a multicenter, randomized prospective study. At our institution, we favor early and aggressive management of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis with transfemoral, venous intradural infusions of the fibrinolytic agent urokinase. To date, treatment of only 13 patients using this technique has been reported in the English literature. This report adds 12 more such treated patients. Despite the presence of preinfusion infarcts in 5 patients, four of which were hemorrhagic, we incurred no major therapeutic morbidity. Functional sinus patency was achieved in 11 of 12 patients, with our only true failure occurring in an individual with symptoms of at least 2 months' duration. Good to excellent clinical outcome was achieved in 10 of 11 patients (one newborn had inadequate follow-up).     

Postmenopausal HRT is not independent risk factor for dural sinus thrombosis

While a dural sinus thrombosis (DST), is a well-known consequence of the use of oral contraceptives, the role of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in DST was not previously evaluated. We report two postmenopausal women, presenting with DST under HRT. Antiphospholipid antibodies in one case and borderline protein S deficiency in another were diagnosed. Only five cases of DST under HRT were previously reported and in two of them additional prothrombotic risk factors were found. According to these and previous cases, HRT is not an independent risk factor for DST.     

颅内静脉窦血栓形成的临床及影像学诊断25例报道

目的 研究颅内静脉窦血栓形成的病因、临床特点、特别是影像学的表现。方法 回顾性分析25例已确诊的静脉窦血栓形成患者（男2例,女23例）的临床资料及影像学特点,包括发病原因、临床表现、实验室检查及影像学头部CT、磁共振成像（MRI）和磁共振血管成像（MRA）的异常表现。结果 25例本病患者除2例男性外,余23例均有明确病因,如妊娠期、产褥期、口服避孕药等,临床表现以亚急性颅压高症状为主;部分头部CT可见条索征及空三征,MRI特征性表现为T1、T2加权像窦内异常高信号,MRA示栓塞的静脉窦未显影。结论 颅内静脉窦血栓形成患者多可找到明确病因,临床表现多样,无特异性,MRI/MRA可帮助确诊。     

Cerebral vein and dural sinus thrombosis in Portugal: 1980-1998

There is insufficient information on the prognosis and safety of anticoagulation in acute cerebral vein and dural sinus thrombosis (CVDST). To describe the clinical aspects and medical management of CVDST in Portuguese hospitals, to evaluate the safety of anticoagulation in this setting, and to identify subgroups of CVDST patients with different prognoses, we registered symptomatic CVDST patients admitted to Portuguese hospitals since 1980. Cases were collected from file review up to 6/95 and from consecutively admitted patients from 6/95 to 6/98. One hundred and forty-two patients were included from 20 centers (51 retrospectively and 91 prospectively). One hundred and twelve patients (79%) were anticoagulated. There were only 6 new intracranial hemorrhages (4 in anticoagulated patients) and 2 systemic hemorrhages. Nine (6%) patients died. At discharge, 96 (68%), had recovered completely and only 6 (4%) were dependent (Rankin > or = 3). Significant multivariate predictors of death/dependency were central nervous system infection as a predisposing cause (odds ratio, OR = 15.4; 95% confidence interval CI = 111-1.1), encephalopathy on admission (OR = 5.2; 95% CI = 18.7-1.5) and hemorrhage on admission CT/MR (OR = 3.6; 95% CI = 12.9-1). Significant predictors of complete recovery were no encephalopathy on admission (OR = 5; 95% CI = 12.5-2.1), age < 45 years (OR = 3.8; 95% CI = 9.2-1.6) and anticoagulation (OR = 3.8; 95% CI = 9.6-1.5). It is possible to identify CVDST patients with potential bad or good prognosis in the acute phase. Anticoagulation was safe and a predictor of complete recovery in acute CVDST.     

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension followed by dural sinus thrombosis: A case report

SIH is an underdiagnosed condition with variable clinical and radiological presentations that leads to engorged dural sinuses and promotes stasis predisposing for dural sinus thrombosis (DST). We describe a young female patient who presented with clinical and imaging signs of SIH alone followed by a superimposed DST 10 days later. We discuss the pathophysiological mechanisms that may have led to this constellation, and review the literature to-date along with diagnostic and management implications.     

Endovascular treatment of dural sinus thrombosis with rheolytic thrombectomy and intra-arterial thrombolysis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cerebral venous thrombosis is a rare entity that can be difficult to manage. Intrasinus thrombolysis is an increasingly applied intervention, but this modality carries an increased risk of hemorrhage. We describe for the first time an option with a potentially lower incidence of intracranial bleeding, the combination of the AngioJet rheolytic thrombectomy catheter with intra-arterial thrombolysis, in 2 patients with extensive dural sinus thromboses, preexisting intracranial hemorrhage, and severe progressive neurological deficits despite heparin therapy. METHODS: Four procedures were performed in 2 patients with thromboses in the superior sagittal and transverse sinuses (right in 1 patient and bilateral in 1 patient) and cortical veins. Rheolytic thrombectomy was performed in the sigmoid, transverse, straight, and superior sagittal sinuses; this technique involves the use of the Bernoulli effect to create a vacuum that fragments and aspirates thrombus. For associated persistent cortical vein thromboses, low-dose intra-arterial thrombolysis was used. RESULTS: Both patients had excellent angiographic results with sinus reopening after rheolytic thrombectomy and cortical vein reopening after intra-arterial thrombolysis. Follow-up CT showed no change in 1 patient and increased preexisting intracranial hemorrhage in the other. One patient had a negative hypercoagulable workup, and the other patient had probable anti-phospholipid antibody syndrome. At 6 months, both patients had excellent clinical outcome with no neurological deficits except mild short-term memory loss in 1 patient. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of rheolytic thrombectomy with intra-arterial thrombolysis is a treatment modality that allows accelerated recanalization of occluded dural sinuses and cerebral veins with lower doses of thrombolytic agents.     

Neonatal Streptococcus pyogenes meningitis and sagittal sinus thrombosis: case report

We report a case of Streptococcus pyogenes meningitis in a 18 days year-old-girl with clinical course complicated by sagittal sinus thrombosis. Some aspects of the pathogenesis, treatment and follow-up of the disease are discussed. The world increase of serious streptococcal infections in the last 10 years, probably will become neonatal Streptococcus pyogenes meningitis more frequent in the future and it is important to be alert for the precocious diagnosis and the possible complications of that potentially lethal infection.     

Clinical picture of patients with cerebral venous thrombosis and patterns of dural sinus involvement

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Cerebral venous thrombosis may cause focal brain lesions or an isolated intracranial hypertension without focal signs. We investigated whether these different clinical pictures correspond to different patterns of dural sinus thrombosis. METHODS: Forty-eight patients with cerebral venous thrombosis were classified in 2 groups based on the clinical and neuroradiological picture at admission: one group had clinical signs of intracranial hypertension, without focal neurological signs; the other group had focal neurological signs. The extension of thrombosis in dural sinuses was compared between the groups. RESULTS: The amount of thrombosed sinuses was significantly different in the two groups, the involvement of the dural sinuses being greater in patients with isolated intracranial hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical picture of cerebral venous thrombosis is related to the pattern of dural sinus involvement. The presence of isolated intracranial hypertension is more frequent in patients with a more extended thrombosis of the dural sinuses.