Pulsatile Tinnitus and Venous Cerebral Thrombosis: Report of a Case and Literature Review

Background: Pulsatile tinnitus can be caused by fatal vascular disease. The authors reported a very rare case of pulsatile tinnitus that revealed a sigmoid sinus thrombosis.

Case Report: A 43-years-old man was referred to our department for a left pulsatile tinnitus that had lasted for 2 years. The CT angiography and the MRI retrieved a sigmoid sinus thrombosis that was responsible for emissary vein ectasis. The biological check up was normal. The tinnitus disappeared after two months of anticoagulation.

Conclusions: Ten cases of pulsatile tinnitus associated with cerebral venous thrombosis have been published in the literature. In most of cases, pulsatile tinnitus was the only symptom. Few cases of headache, hearing loss and vertigo were described in association with the tinnitus. In 5 cases a cause was retrieved (hemostasis troubles, head injury and dural arteriovenous fistulas). Full recovery can be obtained for nearly all cases as a result of anticoagulation.