Two cases of brain haemorrhage secondary to developmental venous anomaly thrombosis. Bibliographic review

We report two cases of intracraneal brain haemorrhage secondary to developmental venous anomaly trombosis recently treated at our Department. First patient was a 28-year old woman on oral contraceptive treatment for a month who was referred to our Department with sudden-onset conscious level deterioration after presenting 24 hours previously with headache, vomits and hemiparesis. Computed Tomography revealed a predominant hypodense area containing hyperdense foci causing mild mass effect and midline-shift in keeping with a haemorrhagic infarction occupying almost completely the right frontal lobe. On CT, magnetic resonance (MR) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) there was a prominent tubular structure adjacent to the hematoma in keeping with a partly thrombosed vessel. Urgent craniotomy and partial hematoma evacuation was performed. Digital subtraction angiography confirmed the presence of a filling defect within the draining vein of a typical caputmedusae pattern developmental venous anomaly (DVA). Systemic anticoagulation was started and four days after surgery sedation was reversed and the patient awoke with normal conscious level although mild (4/5) hemiparesis persisted. Second patient was a 38-year old male evaluated in the Emergency Department due to tonic-clonic seizures in the left side followed by altered sensation in the same distribution. Initial CT revealed an intracranial bleed. After contrast administration there was an anomalous vessel in the same location that was confirmed angiographically represented a partly thrombosed DVA. Conservative management was favoured and the patient was discharged from hospital without clinical neurological deficits.