[Case report of spontaneous cervical epidural hematoma in elderly]

Abstract

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematomas (SSEH) are relatively rare clinical entities and associated with coagulopathies, tumors, or vascular malformation. In addition, these are often neurosurgical emergencies; therefore, prompt diagnosis and treatment are paramount. We reported a case of an 87-year-old woman with spontaneous cervical epidural hematoma. She presented with the sudden onset of neck pain, rt. upper arm sensory disturbance and rt. hemiparesis. MRI revealed a C3-Th1 dorsally placed extradural lesion. The lesion was iso-to hypointense on T1-weighted images and was hyperintense on T2-weighted images. She underwent surgery within 9 hours after symptom onset, removal of hematoma through the right hemilaminectomy was performed. She was a very high age, but she was discharged from the hospital without neurological deficit. To obtain good prognosis for patients with SSEH, early diagnosis and treatment are important. We also review the current literature concerning diagnosis and treatment of SSEH.