Cerebellar infarction in a patient with cerebral vein thrombosis and patent foramen ovale: brain-to-brain embolism?
Although the association between PFO and cryptogenic stroke is well shown in young adults, the causality is still unclear. The pathogenetic mechanism of ischemic stroke related to PFO is not entirely understood. Indeed, besides the well-known paradoxical embolism, formations of thrombi in situ, especially in the presence of ASA, a higher incidence of atrial fibrillation have been often observed. Cerebral sinus venous thrombosis may be due to local inflammation or to acquired or genetic thrombophilia including hyperhomocysteinemia. We report a case of a young man presenting with a cerebellar infarction probably secondary to a paradoxical brain-to-brain embolism, in which the only detectable embolic source was a cerebral vein thrombosis.
Department of Neuroscience, Neurological Clinic, University of Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 3, 98124, Messina, Italy. paololaspina@virgilio.it
P
P
La Spina
R S
RS
Calabrò
C
C
Casella
R
R
Savica
F
F
Granata
R
R
Musolino
D000328:Adult; D020526:Brain Stem Infarctions / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002550:Cerebral Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D054092:Foramen Ovale, Patent / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D020766:Intracranial Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial / Q000379:methods; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*