Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis; Analysis of 17 Cases

Abstract

Objective: Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVT) is a disease that is difficult to diagnose because of large variability of clinical symptoms and signs. Poor prognosis may occur due to late diagnosis. Methods: The demographic characteristics, initial symptoms and signs, clinical features, etiologies, imaging findings and treatments were retrospectively reviewed in the 17-patients accepted to our hospital between May-2003 and January-2011 with Cerebral Venous Thrombosis diagnosed by cranial magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance venography. Results: The patients followed in our clinic with a diagnosis of cerebral venous thrombosis were 9-female and 8-men. All of the patients complained from headache, eight of the patients had epileptic seizures, six of patients had weakness and/or a complaint of numbness. Evaluation of etiologic factors revealed that CVT developed after pregnancy in three patient, after oral contraceptives in three patient. As the most common neurological examination findings during the first applicant were papillae edemas in 13 patients, 6 patients had motor deficits, sixth cranial nerve involvement was detected in 3 patients. All the patients were diagnosed with cerebral venous thrombosis were managed by anticoagulation therapy. One of our patients died. Conclusion: Although SVT is a rare disease, patient admitted with severe headaches and papilledema, epileptic seizure, and with prone to thrombosis, it should be considered. Early diagnosis is very important for CVT and anticoagulant, thrombolytic, antiepileptic and etiologic treatments should be done. Anticoagulant therapy is the first-line treatment for cerebral venous sinus thrombosis because of its efficacy and safety.