Türk Nöroşirürji Dergisi 2011 , Vol 21 , Num 3
Spontaneous Spinal Epidural Hematoma: Report of 2 Cases
Osman DÖNMEZ1, Hakan ÇAKIN1, Bekir AKGÜN1, Serdal ALBAYRAK2, Metin KAPLAN1
1Fırat Üniversitesi, Tıp Fakültesi, Nöroşirürji Anabilim Dalı, Elazığ, Türkiye
2S.B. Elazığ Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Nöroşirürji Bölümü, Elazığ, Türkiye
Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma is a very rare emergency clinical condition. It can cause permanent neurological deficits, even death, if not diagnosed and treated early. We present two cases that underwent surgery for spontaneus spinal epidural hematoma. Our first case, a 78-year-old female, presented with complaints of back pain and weakness in both legs. The neurological examination revealed paraparesia. Spinal MR imaging showed an epidural hematoma at the level of T11-L1 vertebrae. The second case was a 67-year-old female that came with acute loss of motor function and anesthesia in both lower extremities. Spinal MR imaging revealed an epidural hematoma at the level of T9-T11 vertebrae that compressed the spinal cord posteriorly. We discuss the importance of MRI for the diagnosis, and also the effect of early surgical management regarding neurological recovery. Anahtar Kelimeler : Surgical treatment, Magnetic resonance imaging, Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma