[Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma]

Abstract

Spontaneous epidural hematoma is seldom the cause of spinal cord compression. It was described for the first time by Blauby in 1808. We observed 7 patients from the age 16 up to 75 in the last 18 years. In 3 cases bleeding was caused by anticoagulant agents. In another 3 cases the cause of hemorrhage could not be proved. One patient suffered from bleeding by rupture of a spinal extradural hemangioma. Localisation was thoracic vertebral column in 3 cases and the lumbar vertebral column in 2 cases. In another 2 cases the level of the lesion was the cervical and cervical-thoracic region. All patients were operated on. 5 patients had an almost complete regression of the symptoms and neurological signs, one patient still had severe neurological defects. Another patient who had undergone dialysis for years before bleeding improved as well, but died three months later of embolism. Case reports, and a review of the literature are presented.