Cerebral Sinus Venous Thrombosis in a Patient Using Etonogestrel/Ethinyl Estradiol Vaginal Ring

Abstract

A case of 43-year-old female presented to the emergency department (ED) with a new onset grand mal tonic-clonic seizure lasting at least two minutes with post-ictal confusion. Imaging was consistent with cerebral sinus venous thrombosis (CSVT) associated with intracranial hemorrhage. After ruling out most common causes of thrombosis, the etiology was attributed to estrogen vaginal ring. The patient was treated with anticoagulation therapy and had increasing hemorrhagic changes in the first few days, which eventually improved. The estimated annual incidence of cerebral sinus vein thromboses is approximately 3-4 cases per 1 million adults, mostly occurring in females. More than 80% of patients have favorable neurologic outcomes due to increased awareness of the condition as well as availability of advanced imagining and treatment options. The treatment is still controversial due to the high risk of intracranial hemorrhage with sinus thrombosis, especially for patients on anticoagulation. Still, most guidelines support starting anticoagulation. In this report, we highlight the association of CSVT with estrogen vaginal ring and discuss recent management recommendations per different society guidelines.