Case 314

Abstract

An 18-year-old man presented to the neurosurgery outpatient department with recurrent episodes of epistaxis for the past 8 years and altered behavior for the past month. Epistaxis was scanty in amount, intermittent, spontaneous, and not associated with any trauma or nasal obstruction or breathing difficulties. Bleeding used to stop spontaneously after some time. There was no history of associated headache, seizures, vomiting, fever, or loss of consciousness. On physical examination, the patient was afebrile, with normal vital signs and normal Glasgow Coma Scale score (15 of 15) at the time of presentation. Multiple dilated engorged veins were visible on the forehead; however, there was no evidence of abnormal skin pigmentation. Neurologic examination yielded findings that were within normal limits. Laboratory examinations revealed a hemoglobin level of 11 g/dL (normal range, 13.2-16.6 g/dL), with the rest of the parameters within normal limits. This patient underwent unenhanced CT of the brain and paranasal sinuses followed by contrast-enhanced MRI of the brain for further evaluation (Figs 1-3).