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Cerebral Venous Thrombosis

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Book cover Thrombosis and Embolism: from Research to Clinical Practice

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AIM,volume 906))

Abstract

Cerebral venous thrombosis is an important cause of stroke in the young. Unlike venous thromboembolism (VTE), women are affected three times more often than men by CVT. The most common symptoms are headache, seizures and focal neurological deficits. The diagnosis can be confirmed with MRI, CT-venography, or catheter angiography. An intracerebral hemorrhage is found on cerebral imaging in approximately 40 % of patients, and can range from small juxtacortical hemorrhages to large space-occupying lesions. Many risk factors for CVT have been reported, most of which overlap with those of VTE. The primary therapy for CVT is anticoagulation with heparin, based on limited evidence from randomized trials. Both unfractionated or low-molecular weight heparin can be used to treat CVT, although the latter is generally preferable. Small studies have shown promising results of endovascular treatment in severe patients, but these data require confirmation in a randomized trial. In patients who develop clinical and radiological signs of impending herniation decompressive surgery can be both life-saving and result in a good functional outcome. The prognosis is nowadays favorable in most cases, especially compared to arterial stroke, although a significant proportion of patients do suffer from chronic symptoms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Academic Medical Center – University of Amsterdam, Room H2-218, Meibergdreef 9, 1105, Amsterdam, AZ, The Netherlands

    Susanna M. Zuurbier & Jonathan M. Coutinho M.D., Ph.D.

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  1. Susanna M. Zuurbier
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  2. Jonathan M. Coutinho M.D., Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Jonathan M. Coutinho M.D., Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

    Md. Shahidul Islam

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Zuurbier, S.M., Coutinho, J.M. (2016). Cerebral Venous Thrombosis. In: Islam, M. (eds) Thrombosis and Embolism: from Research to Clinical Practice. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology(), vol 906. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/5584_2016_115

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/5584_2016_115

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