[Clinical analysis of intracranial venous embolism during pregnancy and puerperium].

OBJECTIVE: To study the cause and clinical manifestation of intracranial venous embolim during pregnancy and puerperium, and its early diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: 18 cases of intracranial venous embolism confirmed by Computed Tomography (CT) were eligible for this retrospective study. RESULTS: Of all the cases, 8 cases occurred before delivery and 10 post partum; 10 cases complicated by pregnancy induced hypertension and 8 cases postpartum hemorrhage. Headache occurred most frequently, followed by coma and seizure. Blood rheologic assay showed hypercoagulable states in 6 cases. For 11 cases treated with urokinase, 10 were cured, while in the remaining patients, 3 of 6 cured. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that hypercoagulability states were related to intracranial venous embolism. Coma and seizure were the main characters. CT was an important diagnostic measure. Lowering intracranial pressure, anticoagulation, dethrombosis and timely ending pregnancy were the main treatment measures. The early use of urokinase may exert better effect.