We report a case of a 23-year-old male, known case of Down’s syndrome, who presented to our Emergency Department with a complaint of severe headache for three days. It was accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and confusion. There was no history of trauma, seizures, loss of consciousness, change in vision, or relevant signs of virus infection. He was not on any regular medications. His medical background included surgical closure of ventricular septal defects in his childhood. There was no past medical or family history of coagulopathies.\nOn examination, his Glasgow coma score was 14, with normal vital signs. On neurological examination, the patient was confused, with dense right-sided hemiparesis. Liver function test, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, and international normalized ratio were all within normal range. The brain CT scan revealed left-sided subacute SDH with a 12 mm midline shift and uncal herniation ().\nThe patient underwent emergent left-sided craniotomy and SDH evacuation. The blood evacuated was a mixture of dark stained blood and clots. Post-surgery, the patient’s consciousness level returned to normal, and he regained full power in all limbs. His post-operative CT scan showed optimal evacuation of the left-sided hematoma. There was also a new finding of a small right-sided SDH in the parietal region with no significant mass effect (). The CT scans review showed hyperdense areas in the transverse and sigmoid sinus; this raised suspicion of thrombosis. Magnetic resonance venography (MRV) confirmed the diagnosis of CVST in the right transverse and sigmoid sinuses with loss of flow signal ().\nClinically, the patient made an excellent post-operative recovery. After the diagnosis of CVST, we obtained neurology opinion and considered it risky to commence therapeutic anticoagulation in the early post-operative phase. He was started on a prophylactic dose of low molecular heparin. The patient was discharged home one week after surgery. Subsequently, he was readmitted electively two weeks later and was commenced on Apixaban. He was followed up regularly in outpatients and was asymptomatic.\nThe patient re-presented three months later complaining of a headache and recurrent vomiting, with normal consciousness levels. His repeat brain CT showed recollection of hematoma in the left subdural space (). An updated MRV revealed an interval shrinkage of the thrombus in the right sigmoid venous sinus; however, the reduced flow was seen through the sinus. The medical decision was to stop the anticoagulation, and the patient underwent reopening of the left-sided craniotomy and evacuation of the recurrent SDH. He recovered well after surgery, and we elected not to restart anticoagulation and follow-him clinically.\nThe patient remains clinically well. Interval MRI and MRV scans at six months show complete resolution of the SDH, with residual partial thrombosis of the right sigmoid sinus; however, the sinus is patent, and the venous flow is restored ().
A 59-year-old male with a recent fall and closed head injury presented with progressively worsening headaches. The fall occurred 9 days before presentation. On examination, no neurologic deficits were found. Noncontrast head CT demonstrated a 5 mm left convexity CSDH []. He underwent burr hole evacuation and was discharged on the subsequent day. He presented again on postoperative day 6 with recurrence of his headaches. Noncontrast head CT demonstrated recurrence of the left convexity subdural hematoma []. He subsequently underwent a left craniotomy for evacuation. He was discharged on postoperative day 2 with no postprocedural complications. At 1-month follow-up, he continued to complain of severe headaches. Surveillance CT demonstrated a new 27 mm right convexity mixed density subdural hematoma [ and ]. He subsequently underwent right MMA embolization as primary treatment. Intraprocedural digital subtraction angiogram revealed a Cognard Grade III cribriform plate DAVF supplied by the right ophthalmic artery draining into a right frontal cortical vein [ and ]. The right MMA temporoparietal and frontal branches were embolized with n-BCA glue. Follow-up was arranged to treat the DAVF at a later date and he was discharged the following day. The patient was subsequently lost to follow-up, but presented to the emergency department 4 months later with diplopia and a right abducens nerve palsy. Noncontrast head CT demonstrated significant reduction in size of the previously embolized right convexity subdural hematoma. He was admitted and underwent attempted endovascular treatment of the DAVF. Catheterization of the arterial and venous sides of the fistula achieved suboptimal positioning for liquid embolic embolization and so he underwent a right craniotomy for surgical ligation of the fistula. The patient experienced no postprocedural complications. At 2-week follow-up, there was complete resolution of his presenting symptoms and surveillance CT demonstrated no residual SDH.