Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis presenting with multifocal intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage: A case report

RATIONALE: Multifocal cerebral hemorrhage refers to the cerebral hemorrhage in 2 or more lesions at the same time or 48 h in the brain caused by various causes, which has an acute onset, high mortality rate, and poor clinical treatment effect. Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is caused by the direct flow of blood into the subarachnoid cavity due to the rupture of the diseased vessels at the base or surface of the brain. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) affects approximately 5 people per million and accounts for approximately 1% of all stroke events. CVST with both SAH and multifocal intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) as the first presentation is extremely rare. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 57-year-old woman presented with dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. DIAGNOSIS: Neuroimaging confirmed a diagnosis of CVST. INTERVENTIONS: The patient was treated with dehydration, scavenging free radicals, and nerve protection therapy. OUTCOMES: After 4 weeks of systematic treatment, the patient resumed independent daily activities and was discharged with only slight non-fluent aphasia. She did not exhibit recurrent thrombosis at an 18-month follow-up point. MAIN LESSONS: The usual treatment for sinus thrombosis is anticoagulation or local thrombolysis. Systemic anticoagulation is the first-line treatment for CVST, even in patients with cerebral hemorrhage or SAH. The present patient's hemorrhage clearly contraindicated heparin; therefore, no anticoagulants or thrombolytic agents were administered during the 4-week hospitalization. We discuss issues for consideration in similar cases and provide an example of determining an individualized approach to treatment.