Pediatric dural venous sinus thrombosis following closed head injury: an easily overlooked diagnosis with devastating consequences

Abstract

© 2018 Turkish Association of Trauma and Emergency Surgery. Dural venous sinus thrombosis (DVST) is an uncommon finding after traumatic brain injury. The diagnosis can often be initially missed, particularly if not associated with an overlying fracture. Pediatric DVST following closed head injury and without an overlying fracture is very rare, with only 20 cases reported in the literature to date. Here we present the case of a 19-month-old boy who presented with a history of trivial fall and an episode of fever. On presentation, the pediatric Glasgow Coma Scale (pGCS) score was E3V4M6, and initial brain computed tomography (CT) was normal. He was initially conservatively managed. However, subsequent CT, taken following an episode of seizure, revealed right tentorial subarachnoid hemorrhage and falx hematoma. Conservative management was continued till he started developing recurrent seizures with a decrease in pGCS scores. Repeat CT revealed sinus thrombosis that involved the posterior aspect of the superior sagittal sinus with a massive brain edema. The coagulation profile was normal, and no fracture overlying the sinus was observed. Although he underwent emergency bifrontal decompressive craniotomy, he did not recover. This study emphasizes on the importance of not missing the diagnosis of sinus thrombosis and the devastating consequences that can occur if it is overlooked.