Abstract
Spinal epidural hematoma is a well known complication of spinal surgery. Clinically insignificant small epidural hematomas develop in most spinal surgeries following laminectomy. However, the incidence of clinically significant postoperative spinal epidural hematomas that result in neurological deficits is extremely rare. In this report, we present a 33-year-old female patient whose spinal surgery resulted in postoperative spinal epidural hematoma. She was diagnosed with lumbar disc disease and underwent hemipartial lumbar laminectomy and discectomy. After twelve hours postoperation, her neurologic status deteriorated and cauda equina syndrome with acute spinal epidural hematoma was identified. She was immediately treated with surgical decompression and evacuation of the hematoma. The incidence of epidural hematoma after spinal surgery is rare, but very serious complication. Spinal epidural hematomas can cause significant spinal cord and cauda equina compression, requiring surgical intervention. Once diagnosed, the patient should immediately undergo emergency surgical exploration and evacuation of the hematoma.
Highlights
Spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) is an uncommon cause of acute cauda equina syndrome [1,2,3,4]
The incidence of clinically significant postoperative spinal epidural hematomas that result in neurological deficits is extremely rare
We present a 33-year-old female patient whose spinal surgery resulted in postoperative spinal epidural hematoma
Summary
Spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) is an uncommon cause of acute cauda equina syndrome [1,2,3,4]. The incidence of postoperative SEHs that necessitate surgical intervention because of neurological deficits, such as clinically significant spinal cord or nerve root compression, is extremely rare [1,2,3,4]. Case presentation A 33-year-old Turkish woman patient was admitted with complaints of waist pain that extended down her left leg. She was diagnosed with left L5-S1 paramedian disc herniation and admitted for operation (Figure 1). Clinical recovery was observed after reoperation, On postoperative 5th day neurological examination showed left foot DF strength 2/5, PF strength 5/5 and there was no urine incontinence. The patient was admitted to physical therapy and a rehabilitation program on the 7th day postoperation. 4 months postoperation, complete recovery was observed in the patient’s motor deficits
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