A 60-year-old male experienced one month of escalating bifrontal headaches refractory to analgesics and antibiotics prescribed for presumed sinusitis. The headaches increased during sneezing, bending over, or bedrest and improved when he was sitting or standing. There was no history of trauma. His prior medical history was notable for hypertension and hyperlipidemia. There was no family history of coagulopathy or thrombophilia. He was married, employed, used 0.5 packs of tobacco (7.5 packs/years), consumed alcohol socially, and did not use any illicit drugs. His vital signs were notable for sinus bradycardia with a heart rate of 39 and elevated BP of 184/86 mmHg. He had no other significant findings on physical examination; detailed neurologic examination was unremarkable. Routine admission laboratory studies were within normal limits. Coagulation studies including platelet function assays were normal.\nNoncontrasted head CT demonstrated a 19 mm left isodense SDH with 10 mm of midline shift []. The collection was more prominent in the frontal region. A CT angiogram was obtained prior to surgery, and no source of bleeding was identified. He underwent a mini-craniotomy; and repeat CT imaging after the procedure [] demonstrated excellent hematoma evacuation and brain reexpansion.\nA scheduled follow up head CT obtained on postoperative day 27 was notable for recurrent SDH with a frontal predilection \n[]. The appearance and location were similar to the initial presentation. He was readmitted to the hospital and underwent SDH drainage via burr hole. On subsequent imaging with MRI, MR angiography, and MR venography, a filling defect was visible in the distal left transverse sinus and no flow was observed in the distal left sigmoid sinus or internal jugular vein. These findings were confirmed on CT venography.\nPatient underwent cerebral angiography on postoperative day 7 after SDH evacuation []. Left carotid injection was notable for a prominent left vein of Labbe with delayed wash-out, a filling defect in the left transverse sinus, and retrograde flow in the left transverse sinus with subsequent drainage into the right transverse sinus. Transvenous catheterization confirmed retrograde drainage of the left transverse sinus and venous stasis in the left vein of Labbe. Manometric readings in the left sigmoid sinus and both transverse sinuses were elevated (18-25 mmHg range). Thrombectomy with the Penumbra device and venoplasty with 7 × 20 mm balloon were performed; 10 mg of systemic abciximab was administered. Follow up venography demonstrated improved flow in the left vein of Labbe, restored normal direction of flow in the sinuses with normalized pressure (11 mmHg) in the left transverse sinus. Daily aspirin (325 mg) was initiated on the day of this intervention; patient was discharged home without neurologic deficits. A follow-up CT venogram at 6 weeks demonstrated patent venous sinuses and no recurrence of his SDH. His 3 month clinical outcome was excellent (modified Rankin score 0).
A 58-year-old right-handed postmenopausal woman presented to the emergency with progressively increasing holocephalic headache for 3 days. She did not have fever, nausea, and vomiting. The headache gradually worsened in severity and on the day of presentation, she developed a generalized tonic clonic seizure. Apart from the history of well-controlled diabetes mellitus, she did not have significant past medical, personal, and family history. She had not received any vaccines in the recent past. On examination, she was ill-looking, but her vital signs were stable. She had Wernicke's aphasia. She did not have disc edema; cranial nerve examination was normal, and she did not have any focal deficits.\nAn urgent CT scan of the head without contrast showed left temporal hematoma with surrounding vasogenic edema (Figure ). Hemorrhagic picture was noted in the insular cistern (Figure ), left fronto-temporal subdural space (Figure ), the perimesencephalic, ambient and suprasellar cisterns (Figures and ), and the sulci of the left temporo-parietal lobes (Figures and ). There was a subtle dense clot sign in the left transverse sinus (Figure ). She was diagnosed as having left transverse sinus thrombosis leading to left temporal hematoma, SAH and SDH. She was treated with low molecular weight heparin, levetiracetam, and 3% hypertonic saline. The magnetic resonance venography (MRV) done the following day confirmed the presence of left transverse sinus thrombosis (Figure ). CT angiography of the brain did not reveal any vascular malformations. Her complete blood counts, coagulation profiles, routine blood chemistry, and C-reactive protein were within normal limits. Antinuclear antibody and SARS-CoV-2 RNA polymerase chain reaction tests were negative. She underwent CT scan of neck, chest, abdomen and pelvis, mammogram, stool occult blood, carcinoembryonic antigen, CA-125, and Ca 19–9 tests, all of which were non-contributory to any occult malignancy. Thrombophilia screening was not done at this acute stage. We decided to get those done after the completion of anticoagulant treatment. She showed good clinical improvement over the course of the next few days. A repeat CT scan of the head done on day seven, revealed decreasing edema and stable hematoma volume with no new bleeding. The cause of her CVST was deemed undermined at this stage and she was discharged home on dabigatran 150 mg twice daily, as she could not get PT/INR done reliably due to the current lockdown imposed by the government. She has been doing well on follow up.