Among the inflammatory processes occurring in the human body, the rarest, but no less dangerous is thrombosis of the cavernous sinus.
The disease involves clogging the cavernous sinus with a thrombus, which results in a massive inflammation that can spread even to the brain. It does not arise on its own, but is the result of a concomitant inflammatory process. What features the disease has, its risks and risks, as well as the methods of treatment, will be analyzed further.
Properties and prevalence of disease
By itself, thrombosis implies the presence of blood clots of , which are able to clog their large sizevenous duct.
The cavernous sinus located at the base of the skull and equidistant from the Turkish saddle is a cavernous body, the main whose role is to perform a cerebral outflow and regulate the intracranial circulation of the .Also this paired sinus is involved in providing blood supply to the eye sockets, the violation of which is diagnosed during examination.
Cavernous sinus thrombosis is a dangerous phenomenon, because is able to come off and clog the bloodstream of at any time, which will impair brain nutrition and its gradual withering away. The disease is quite rare, has 0.5% of all inflammatory processes.
Causes and risk factors for
There are a lot of reasons for the development of cavernous sinus thrombosis and all of them have different specificities and etiology. The following factors contribute to the progression of the disease:
- infectious and viral diseases of the nose, ear, teeth and nasopharynx: sinusitis, mesotympanitis, purulent dental inflammations;
- autoimmune diseases: rheumatism, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus;
- craniocerebral injuries as a result of which there is a pinching of the sinus with the bones of the skull;
- hereditary or acquired blood diseases, hematopoiesis with increased blood clotting and thrombosis( polycythemia);
- diabetes last stage;
- cardiovascular disease: ischemia, arrhythmia, infarction;
- tumors and neoplasms in the sinusoidal area of the brain, which interfere with the normal blood supply of blood vessels;
- frequent abortions and large blood loss can also cause thrombosis of the cavernous sinus.
It should be noted that disease is activated most often in the case when there are several factors and prerequisites of having different directions. When risk factors are involved, there is every chance of rapid and active development of the disease.
Stages and Types of
Like any other disease, thrombosis has its stages that characterize the danger of the disease and indicate the characteristics of the treatment. There are three stages:
- Stage of active inflammatory process - in this case thrombosis is localized mainly in the lower part of the sinus, however it can spread over the entire area.
- Stage of progressive thrombosis - the parameters of the thrombus are large enough and the consequences of this process are noted. The headache increases, swelling on the head and face, especially around the eyeball, may appear.
- Cumulative thrombosis - occurs when the presence of a thrombus is supported by an extensive inflammatory process, with the presence of closed purulent formations.
Cerebrospinal sinus thrombosis is a disease in its etiology, which is caused by several causes, accordingly its species can be:
- pathogenic thrombosis caused by the presence of an inflammatory process;
- inherited thrombosis;
- is a traumatic type of thrombosis with an associated squeezing syndrome of intracranial blood supply vessels.
Possible complications and level of danger
In case of untimely diagnosis and delayed treatment, thrombosis can progress, torturing its owner with constant headaches. As a result of the rapid course of the , the following undesirable situations can be provoked:
- cerebral edema leading to irreversible processes;
- infarction or stroke, accompanied by active hemorrhage in the cerebral cavity;
- vision impairment before its complete absence;
- puffiness of the eyelid and subsidence in the cranial cavity;
- disorders of the nervous system.
The most dangerous, of course, is the tearning and clogging of the vessel, which removes fluid and blood from the brain .Eliminate the negative consequences and reduce the risks of a lethal outcome will allow timely diagnosis and referral to specialists when identifying the relevant symptoms.
Find out all about the treatment of deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities - a dangerous disease that can cause thromboembolism. How quickly with competent treatment is thrombosis of the hemorrhoidal node? Learn from our article.
And what do you know about acute deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities? It can be deadly if you do not notice symptoms in time.
Symptoms of
The cavernous sinus thrombosis clinic is similar to the manifestations of a variety of diseases not associated with it. Therefore, all symptoms are conventionally divided into two groups: direct symptoms and concomitant.
Direct symptoms are characterized by the following manifestations:
- sudden deterioration or loss of vision;
- impossibility to move your head;
- protrusion or sagging of the eyeball;
- decreased sensitivity of the facial muscles, a strong puffiness of the eyelids.
Other symptoms may also join , indicating possible thrombosis of the cavernous sinus:
- increases body temperature to 40 ° C, with chills and whitening of the skin;
- convulsions of the upper limbs and facial muscles;
- acute headaches, worse when the head is tilted down.
Which doctor should I seek help with?
When the symptoms are so severe that pain medications do not give the desired result, specialists can not do without the help of specialists. Initially, you can contact the district therapist , who will conduct an initial examination and prescribe tests.
Based on the results of the analysis, deeper and more extensive studies using specialized techniques can be assigned. Further treatment is performed by infectious disease specialist or neurologist .
Diagnostics
In order to correctly diagnose, it is necessary to divide the diagnostics into several stages.
Evaluation of the patient's visual condition and symptoms
The different size of the eyes, the swelling of the eyelid, and the swelling of the faceplate indicate that there are unequivocal abnormalities in the brain. The headache, which can not be eliminated by any analgesics, is increasing with movement - a clear sign of the appointment of a more accurate study.
Also, if the patient can not lie on the flat surface of the , complaining of pulsing in the temporal and frontal zone, it is necessary to proceed to the second stage of the study.
These photos show patients with cavernous sinus thrombosis:
Facial swelling with this disease.
Thrombosis of the tricky sinus causes a change in the size of the eyes and the swelling of the eyelids.
Laboratory test
Assign a detailed blood test that in the patient patient contains extremely high white blood cell count, as well as the presence of pathogenic microorganisms - streptococci and staphylococci , which cause inflammation.
It will be superfluous and an analysis of the composition of the fluid or purulent discharge of the focus of inflammation. The fence is taken from the pharynx or nose, after which it is examined under a microscope and analyzed for for the presence of the pathogenic microflora .
Examination using specialized
technique The optimal diagnosis is MRI and CT ( magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography of the brain and blood vessels).The patient is placed in a special capsule, where under the influence of different levels of wave can get a complete picture of the condition of the disease, its causes and methods of treatment.
Treatment Methods
To get rid of thrombosis of the cavernous sinus the treatment is performed in three stages :
- drug therapy;
- surgical intervention;
- rehabilitation.
It should be understood that the treatment of cerebral vessels is a dangerous job, therefore should strictly follow all the doctor's recommendations and not engage in self-medication.
Drug therapy
When diagnosing the presence of pathogenic microflora, the patient starts antimicrobial drugs as early as possible, capable of fighting staphylococci and streptococci. In the first 24 hours, intensive therapy with is used, which can reduce the amount of inflammatory focus. If this did not happen or if there are indications for surgery, immediately perform the operation.
Operations
Due to the peculiarities of the anatomical location of the cavernous sinus, the approach to it is extremely complicated. Accordingly, the operation is performed through a lateral incision, by laseroscopy. The main task of the operation is to excise the thrombotic site before the thrombi detach from the inner shell of the vessel.
With the help of the clips, the affected area is blocked, after which it is excised. There is another option that considers thrombi liquefaction with the help of a laser and the introduction of a drug into the vessel, which is capable of dissolving the thrombus.
About the symptoms and treatment of deep vein thrombophlebitis of the lower extremities - thrombosis with concomitant inflammation of the venous walls - find out from the materials of our site. Find out how and why posttrombotic disease of the veins of the lower extremities, from a separate material, is manifested.
On the methods of rapid diagnosis of pulmonary embolism and ways to save life in this state, read here.
Rehabilitation
A complex operation has extremely unpredictable consequences and complex rehabilitation. If everything went well, the patient is prescribed therapy that contains medications that dilute the blood and prevent the formation of new blood clots. Antimicrobial therapy is also continuing, aimed at eliminating the causative agent and its active progression.
Read more about the disease from this video:
Forecasts and prevention of
To avoid thrombosis of the cavernous sinus, it is necessary to adhere to the following rules:
- to timely treat any infectious and viral diseases without starting them;
- undergo frequent sanation of chronic inflammatory foci;
- to comply with the diet, as well as lead an active lifestyle.
Forecasts for recovery are completely dependent on the course of the disease and its features. There are 20% of deaths of patients with sinus thrombosis, which is quite a lot. Lethal outcome happens quickly enough, not allowing the patient to call for help.
Based on the fact that the disease is extremely dangerous and has serious consequences and a high mortality rate, the needs to monitor its own health and conduct tests on time. In the presence of chronic diseases, the frequency of doctor's consultations and full examination should be at least 1 time every six months.
