Prognosis of patients with severe cerebral venous thrombosis treated with decompressive craniectomy

INTRODUCTIONDespite the highly favorable prognosis, mortality occurs in nearly 2% of patients with cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT), in which decompressive craniectomy (DC) may be the only way to save the patient's life. The aim of this report is to describe the risk factors, neuroimaging features, in-hospital complications and functional outcome of severe CVT in patients treated with DC.MATERIALS AND METHODSConsecutive malignant CVT cases treated with DC from a retrospective third-level hospital database were analyzed. Demographic, clinical, and functional outcomes were analyzed.RESULTSTwenty-six patients were included (20 female, age 35.4±12.1 years); 53.8% of the patients had acute CVT, with neurological focalization as the most common symptom in 92.3% of the patients. Superior sagittal sinus thromboses were found in 84.6% of cases. Bilateral lesions were present in 10 patients (38.5%). Imaging on admission showed a parenchymal lesion (venous infarction±hemorrhagic lesion)>6cm measured along the longest diameter in 25 patients (96.2%). Mean duration of clinical neurological deterioration was 3.5 days; eleven patients (42.3%) died during hospitalization.CONCLUSIONIn patients with severe forms of CVT, we found higher mortality than previously reported. DC is an effective life-saving treatment with acceptable functional prognosis for survivors.