Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in young children with inflammatory bowel disease: A report of two cases

Abstract

We describe two young children aged 2 and 5-year-old with very early onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), who developed focal seizures during an acute flare of disease. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) was confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance venography of the brain. CVST is a rare complication of paediatric IBD that can cause significant morbidity and mortality. The important risk factor for CVST in our children was active disease, which exposed them to an increased prothrombic state. Aggressive treatment of IBD resulted in full neurological recovery of our patients and resolution of the CVST. Our case report is the youngest reported age of CVST associated with IBD to date and highlights the need for clinicians to be vigilant for this rare complication, even in young children with IBD.