Neonatal cerebral sinovenous thrombosis

Abstract

Cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CSVT) is a focal or diffuse disruption of cerebral blood flow secondary to occlusion of cerebral veins and/or sinuses. The challenge of CSVT during the neonatal age has led to a great interest in this condition among neonatologists, child neurologists, and pediatric neuroradiologists. The highly variable clinical spectra, etiologies, and prognosis require fine medical skills and a high level of suspicion. Nevertheless, the diagnosis is often delayed or missed altogether. Differences in brain vulnerability at different stages of maturation may explain the spectrum of associated brain lesions, which varies with gestational age. Treatment is controversial and reported clinical outcomes vary widely. The controversial treatment of CSVT with anticoagulant therapy is based only on case series and expert consensus, there is lack of safety data.

Keywords: Clot propagation; Thalamic hemorrhage; Venous stroke; Venous thrombosis.