title: Postpartum cerebral venous thrombosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cerebral venous thrombosis is a rare entity in pregnancy and the postpartum period, with an incidence of 1:10,000 to 1:25,000.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 19-year-old woman, gravida 1, para 1, presented to the emergency department on postpartum day 7, having experienced seizures. Severe preeclampsia had been diagnosed during the antepartum period. The patient initially was diagnosed with postpartum eclampsia and started on magnesium sulfate for seizure prophylaxis. Magnetic resonance imaging later showed cerebral venous thrombosis of the left transverse sinus and right frontal and left frontoparietal cortical veins.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cerebral venous thrombosis and eclampsia may manifest in a similar manner. Physicians can optimize the care of patients presenting with seizures by considering etiologies rarer than eclampsia and pursuing tests that may distinguish them.
authors.affiliation: From Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington.
authors.forename: Jill A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: McCaulley
authors.forename: Jason A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pates
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D012851:Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008278:Magnesium Sulfate; D006493:Heparin; D010889:Piracetam