Chennai: A 53-year-old Chennai woman nearly died after a chickenpox infection triggered a rare brain disorder and a potentially fatal blood clot. Doctors at Dr Mehta’s Hospitals performed emergency procedures and treated her over 40 days before she was discharged in stable condition.She was admitted in January after her family found her incoherent. Investigations showed the chickenpox virus spread to her central nervous system, causing varicella encephalitis, a rare inflammation of the brain. Doctors also detected cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), a clot in a major vein that drains blood from the brain, leaving her at risk of fatal complications.As her condition rapidly deteriorated, doctors shifted her to the intensive care unit, where she received antiviral medication and treatment to reduce brain inflammation. With bleeding worsening and pressure in the skull rising dangerously, doctors performed an emergency external ventricular drain (EVD) procedure to remove excess cerebrospinal fluid. She was also given intravenous immunoglobulin therapy and anticoagulants to control the inflammation and dissolve the clot.“Chickenpox is generally considered a mild viral illness, but in rare instances it can lead to severe neurological complications, particularly in adults,” said Dr K Jered Livingston, senior consultant neurologist at Dr Mehta’s Hospitals. “Timely diagnosis, advanced neuroimaging and coordinated multidisciplinary care were instrumental in treating this life-threatening condition and ensuring a successful recovery,” he said.
