Sinus thrombosis—do animal models really cover the clinical syndrome?

Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is an important cause of stroke in young patients. CVST represents with 0.5-3% of stroke cases a relatively rare disease. CVST affects 3-4 cases per 1 million overall and 7 cases per 1 million children and neonates. Typical clinical symptoms include headache, visual deficits and seizures. Beside the main condition associated with CVST in women in pregnancy and puerperium, the most frequently identified risk factors are oral hormonal contraceptives in combination with coagulation disorders. The initial treatment contains heparin and its efficacy is based on two randomized placebo-controlled trials including 79 patients together. A lack of understanding of the pathophysiology of CSVT makes animal models of this disease indispensable. Previously developed animal models of sinus sagittalis superior contributes to further clarify the pathophysiologic mechanisms and surrounding circumstances in the topic of cerebral venous thrombosis.