Cerebral Venous Thrombosis: Study of 12 Cases from Southern Brazil

Abstract

Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a pathology that affects the cerebral venous sinuses causing an ischemic and/or hemorrhagic brain, but, contrary to the arterial cerebral vascular accident, has a clinical presentation with varied signs and symptoms that are difficult to diagnose in the its initial phase. Objective: To present the clinical findings of twelve cases of CVT. Materials and methods: We reviewed the charts of patients admitted with a diagnosis of CVT. Results: We describe 8 females and 4 males, with mean age of 30 years. The most common signs and symptoms were: headache (89%), seizure (55.5%), cranial nerve palsy (44%) and hemiparesis (33%). All patients had diagnoses confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance of the skull. The risk factors found were the use of oral and puerperium contraceptives. All patients were treated with oral anticoagulant, with no death reported in this series. Conclusion: Venous sinus thrombosis is an uncommon disease that requires a high index of suspected diagnosis by the medical team. The mortality rate is low and the treatment is usually effective.