Cerebral Venous Thrombosis: An Unexpected Complication with Cerebrospinal Fluid Leaks after a Fall in a Patient with Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 6

• Published in: Internal Medicine Vol. 59; no. 14; pp. 1749 - 1753
• Main Authors: Fujita, Koji, Kanematsu, Yasuhisa, Murakami, Nagahisa, Mure, Hideo, Fukumoto, Tatsuya, Yamamoto, Nobuaki, Yamamoto, Yuki, Izumi, Yuishin, Takagi, Yasushi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine 15.07.2020; Japan Science and Technology Agency
• Subjects: Ataxia; Brain stem; Case Report; cerebral venous thrombosis; Cerebrospinal fluid; Coma; Internal medicine; Magnetic resonance imaging; Seizures; spinal trauma; Spinocerebellar ataxia; spinocerebellar ataxias; Superior sagittal sinus; Thrombosis; spinocerebellar ataxias; cerebral venous thrombosis; cerebrospinal fluid; spinal trauma
• ISSN: 0918-2918; 1349-7235; 1349-7235
• DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.4388-20

A 65-year-old woman with spinocerebellar ataxia presented with generalized seizures due to subcortical hemorrhaging. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed obstruction of the superior sagittal sinus. Despite treatment, she became comatose. MRI newly revealed subdural fluid collection and descent of the brainstem. Her history indicated a recent fall, prompting additional studies, which revealed lumbar fracture and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks. We performed an epidural blood patch, and her consciousness was fully restored in one month. This is the first report of cerebral venous thrombosis with CSF leaks in the lumbar region due to a fall injury.