THROMBOSE BILATERALE ASEPTIQUE DU SINUS CAVERNEUX

Thrombosis of the cavernous sinus most often results from an attack on its walls by an inflammatory process of a neighboring organ. In some cases, however, no local subjacent phenomenon can be demonstrated in spite of the most thorough clinical and neuroradiological investigations. The authors report here the clinical history of a woman of 22 who went blind following the aseptic obstruction of both cavernous sinuses. This occurred in successive stages. It could not be checked in spite of intensive anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory treatment. No definite cause has been discovered. Changes at the back of the eye, recalling those seen a few minutes after death, and the result of an acute orbital ischemia, could be seen for several months. These took different forms in the two eyes. It seemed interesting to describe these rather rare ophthalmoscopic appearances and to discuss the possible causes of aseptic thromboses of the cavernous sinus in terms of the present-day concepts of their pathology.SCOPUS: NotDefined.j