Background and purpose: Recanalization in dural sinus thrombosis (DST) has been observed previously; however, systematic prospective data are lacking. The influence of recanalization on DST outcome has not yet been thoroughly evaluated.
Methods: Thirty-seven consecutive patients with DST were prospectively examined. Neurological deficits were graded with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) on hospital admission and discharge. Functional outcome was assessed with the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) on hospital discharge and after 12 months. All patients were treated with intravenous heparin in the acute stage of illness, followed by oral anticoagulation for 12 months. Imaging follow-up with MR angiography and, in a few cases, with CT or conventional angiography was performed on hospital discharge and after 6 and 12 months.
Results: Twelve-month functional outcome was excellent in 89% of patients with an mRS of 0 or 1. A recanalization rate of 60% was already observed on hospital discharge (22+/-6 days); thereafter, recanalization rates increased insignificantly. Early recanalization was not related to NIHSS score on hospital discharge or an mRS of 0 on discharge or after 12 months.
Conclusions: We found a high frequency of early recanalization but without influence on clinical outcome parameters. Frequent imaging follow-ups in DST are not useful because they provide no information on patient outcome.