Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis | Conditions & Treatments

What is Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis?

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is a rare form of stroke that can occur in adults and children. A blood clot forms in the brain’s venous sinuses, which then prevents blood from draining out of the brain. This causes pressure to build in the blood vessels and can lead to swelling and bleeding in the brain.

What Are the Symptoms of Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis?

Symptoms can vary based on where the blood clot forms, but may include:

Severe headache
Nausea and vomiting
Weakness or numbness in your face, arm, or leg, especially on one side of the body
Difficulty seeing, talking, or understanding
Difficulty with balance or walking
Dizziness or loss of coordination 
Loss of consciousness

What Causes Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis?

Sometimes the cause is not clear, but CVST can be caused by:

Medications that contain estrogen
Elevated levels of estrogen in pregnancy and post-pregnancy
Tamoxifen and chemotherapy drugs
Cancer
Clotting disorders (inherited and acquired)

UR Medicine's Treatments for Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis

If you experience any of the above symptoms, call 911. Following a hospital evaluation, you should be scheduled for prompt neurological care follow-up. Our Comprehensive Stroke Center clinic can provide this care.

Diagnosis

Your provider will do a physical exam and ask about your health history. To see how the blood is flowing in the brain, they may do the following tests:

Computed tomography scan (CT or CAT scan), combining x-rays and computer technology to produce detailed images of the body
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), using large magnets, radiofrequencies, and a computer to produce detailed images of the body
Venography, to view blood flow through veins
Angiography, to visualize blood vessels
Blood tests

Treatment

Treatment will vary with each patient, but may include:

Fluids
Medicine to control seizures
Monitoring and controlling the pressure inside the head
Medicine to stop the blood from clotting (anticoagulants)
Surgery
Continued monitoring of brain activity
Rehabilitation

What Sets Us Apart?

UR Medicine offers advanced stroke treatments that are not available at most hospitals.

UR Medicine's Comprehensive Stroke Center offers world-class treatment and prevention of stroke, including the Rochester region’s only state-of-the art Mobile Stroke Unit and a dedicated Neuromedicine Intensive Care Unit.

Our highly trained, nationally recognized stroke and neurocritical care team provides comprehensive care for all types of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases (related to blood flow in the brain).

State-of-the-art neuroimaging capabilities and immediate access to all subspecialists offer patients the most sophisticated medical and surgical treatments for the best outcomes.