Cerebral vein thrombosis in a case with thromboangiitis obliterans

Thromboangiitis obliterans is a chronic inflammatory vessel disease that in volves predominantly the small and medium-sized arteries and veins of the d istal extremities. Appearance and cessation of symptoms are closely related to patterns of tobacco consumption. That cerebral arteries can also be inv olved is shown by reports of rare cases in which cerebral artery occlusion led to infarction. We report on a 28-year-old man with thromboangiitis obli terans who developed extensive cerebral vein thrombosis after a single epis ode of cigarette smoking following several years of nonsmoking. Despite ext ensive evaluation, no other known cause or predisposition of cerebral vein thrombosis could be found. This case suggests that cerebral veins can be in volved in thromboangiitis obliterans and patients with thromboangiitis obli terans might be at risk for cerebral vein thrombosis.