Non-traumatic Spontaneous Spinal Subdural Hematoma in a Patient with Acute Paraplegia

Abstract

Acute non-traumatic spinal subdural hematoma (SSDH) is a rare clinical condition in the emergency medicine practice and difficult to diagnose during the primary physical examination. It mostly occurs at thoracal vertebra levels due to trauma, use of anticoagulants, medical procedures such as acupuncture, arteriovenous malformations, hematological disorders or space-occupying lesions. Here, we discussed an elderly female patient who was not on anticoagulant and described sudden loss of muscle strength and sensation in both lower extremities. Initial laboratory and imaging including brain computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were in normal range. Her secondary examination revealed anesthesia under the T4 dermatome level. Cervical spine-MRI imaging revealed a subdural hematoma significantly compressing the spinal cord on the C7-T1 dermatome segments. Any emergency neurosurgical intervention was not considered and the patient was interned in the neurosurgical clinic for conservative treatment and further examination. Patient , with no progress seen in consecutive MRI scans, was discharged after offering an outpatient check-up. We recommend secondary physical examination in emergency department (ED). In the case of appearance of sensory deficits of certain dermatomes, spine-MR imaging may lead to put the diagnose early in ED.