Spontaneous Cervical Epidural Hematoma Presenting with Respiratory Failure

Abstract

Case: A 62-year-old woman who had an unremarkable medical history presented with sudden headache and neck pain. After the presentation, complete quadriplegia and respiratory arrest developed, and the patient was urgently intubated. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an extensive epidural hematoma (EH), and emergency hematoma evacuation was performed. At the 1-year follow-up visit, the patient had no motor deficits. Conclusion: We reported a case of spontaneous cervical EH presenting with respiratory failure that was successfully treated with surgical management. Literature review has shown that the surgical outcome is very poor; nevertheless, prompt surgical decompression of the spinal cord can minimize neurological sequelae.