Traumatic spinal subdural hematoma with spontaneous resolution

Abstract

Study design: A case report with a literature review is presented.

Objective: To describe and review the clinical presentations, characteristic findings from imaging studies, and treatment of traumatic spinal subdural hematoma.

Summary of background data: Traumatic spinal subdural hematoma is uncommon, and only eight cases have been reported in the literature. Concomitant intracranial and spinal subdural hematoma in the same patient has not been well studied.

Methods: A case of concomitant spinal and intracranial subdural hematoma is reported as well as a review of the literature.

Results: Including our patient, we found that five of the nine patients with traumatic spinal subdural hematoma also had intracranial hematoma. We hypothesize that the mechanism of traumatic spinal subdural hematoma may be associated with intracranial events. Recognition of blood products in magnetic resonance imaging scans is important to distinguish spinal subdural hematoma from other spinal lesions. It is generally agreed that prompt laminectomy with evacuation of hematoma should be performed before irreversible damage to the spinal cord occurs. However, including our patient, three of the nine reported cases with thoracic or lumbar subdural hematoma resolved spontaneously with conservative treatment.

Conclusions: This 12-year-old boy illustrated the rapid spontaneous resolution of traumatic subdural hematoma in both left hemisphere and lumbar spine with conservative treatment. This report suggests a possible role of conservative management for traumatic lumbar subdural hematoma, especially when the patients already have neurologic recovery.