[Traumatic cerebral thrombosis (author's transl)].

The observation of 6 patients with traumatic cerebral thrombosis following closed injury to the skull stimulated this compilation and review of the relevant literature on this subject. Thrombosis of the internal carotid artery and the vertebral artery head the list and do not only come about after blunt trauma to the neck, in which case traumatic aetiology is always thought of in conjunction with the appearance of appropriate neurological symptoms, but also arise from injuries to the skull. In the latter circumstances, the cerebral symptoms will usually be attributed to an epidural or subdural haematoma, particularly if there is a symptom-free period. This happens especially after minor injuries to the skull. In fact, traumatic thrombosis is seen less frequently than extracerebral haematomas, but is nevertheless repeatedly encountered owing to the great number of traffic accidents. Definitive diagnosis can be made only by angiography of the cerebral vessels, above all of the internal carotid artery. Similar to the prognosis of any disease caused by vascular occlusion, the prognosis as to the extent of recovery from the cerebral focal symptoms depends on the sufficiency of the collateral circulation, whereby surgical removal of the thrombus at the earliest possible moment appears to absolutely indicated.