Superficial Cerebral Venous Thrombosis and Intracerebral Hematoma in a 48-Year-Old Man with SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Case Report

Patient: Male, 48-year-old Final Diagnosis: Cerebral venous thromboembolism Symptoms: Arm weakness • fever • loss of smell • arm numbness Medication: Enoxaparin Clinical Procedure: — Specialty: Neurosurgery OBJECTIVE: Unusual clinical course BACKGROUND: Pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) originated in Wuhan, China, and is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Severe respiratory symptoms are a hallmark of the disease, which may also include complications related to a hypercoagulable state and central nervous system involvement. These complications can occur during either the acute or the recovery phase. The cerebral involvement typically manifests as intracranial hypertension, intracerebral hemorrhage, diffuse encephalopathy, or cerebral venous thrombosis. The hemorrhagic form of cerebral venous thrombosis can be a diagnostic challenge and is treated by anticoagulation therapy, despite the existence of an intracerebral hemorrhage. This report describes a case of superficial cerebral venous thrombosis and intracerebral hematoma in a 48-year-old man weeks after recovering from the acute phase of SARSCoV-2 infection. CASE REPORT: A 48-year-old man with a past medical history of SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by SARS-CoV-2 reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction presented with left upper-limb numbness, weakness, and impaired positional sensorium. After initial stabilization, noncontrast computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed an intracerebral hemorrhage with underlying cerebral venous thrombosis. The patient was successfully treated with enoxaparin anticoagulation therapy, and symptoms improved over the following 12 days. CONCLUSIONS: Central nervous system venous thrombosis is an atypical presentation of the hypercoagulable state primarily seen in younger patients, and it can occur in a delayed fashion after recovery from mild forms of COVID-19.