Category: Vascular
Posted: 8/16/2010 by Rob Rogers, MD
(Updated: 8/14/2024)
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Treatment of Cerebral Venous and Sinus Thrombosis
Thrombosis of the cerebral venous system, also known as cerebral venous and sinus thrombosis and dural sinus thrombosis, is an uncommon condition encountered in the emergency department. The diagnosis may be stumbled upon by various CT findings or by MRI and/or a high opening pressure on lumbar puncture.
The treatment of choice is full dose anticoagulation with heparin. Available studies looked at unfractionated heparin, but many experts now consider LMWH (like Lovenox) an acceptable alternative. Despite the risk of hemorrhagic transformation of a venous infarct, heparin therapy is considered the standard treatment for this condition.
Couthino JM, et al. How to treat cerebral venous and sinus thrombosis. J Thromb Haemost 2010;8:877-83