Isolated cortical vein thrombosis. Report of two cases

Isolated cortical vein thrombosis is an uncommon presentation of central venous thrombosis. We report two females, aged 29 and 40 years, with isolated cortical vein thrombosis. Both presented with a focal neurological deficit and focal seizures that became generalized. The diagnosis was made with magnetic resonance imaging. Both bad a history of oral contraceptive use. Both bad a rapid response to unfractionated heparin. One patient had an antiphospholipid syndrome as a possible etiology. The most common manifestations of this disease are a transient or recurrent neurological deficit, visual disturbances and focal or generalized seizures, usually without intracanial hypertension. Neuroimages show ischemic abnormalities that do not follow an arterial vascular territory, often with an early hemorrhagic component. There is a good clinical response to heparin (Rev Med Chile 2007; 135:1313-17).