Acute cerebrovascular accident in an 18-year-old male with von Willebrand disease.
Compared to the older populations, stroke is an infrequent occurrence in children, adolescents, and young adults. Furthermore, individuals who have hypocoagulability disorders, such as von Willebrand disease (vWD), appear to possess a degree of protection against thrombotic events. Here, we describe an 18-year-old male with a history of vWD who presented to the emergency department with left sided hemiparesis that occurred shortly after being placed in a headlock while wrestling. MRI revealed a right paramedian pontine stroke. The relationship between vWD and stroke is discussed as well as the role of neck trauma in vertebral artery injury. While vWD does appear to decrease the incidence of thrombotic events, such patients are still at risk, especially in the context of common inciting events such as neck trauma.
Andrew
A
Novick
Sean
S
McGrann
Randall
R
Lamfers
D000293:Adolescent; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D020521:Stroke / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D014952:Wrestling / Q000293:injuries*; D014842:von Willebrand Diseases / Q000150:complications*