Spontaneous cervical epidural hematoma with incomplete Brown-Sequard Syndrome

Abstract

Cervical epidural hematoma, without a traumatic etiology, is a rare clinical entity. In the neurosurgical literature it is called spontaneous cervical epidural hematoma (SCEH) and, both the venous and arterial theories provide plausible explanations for its occurrence. The potential causes include coagulopathies, hypertension, vascular malformations and conditions that increase venous pressure such as sneezing, coughing or vomiting (25). The clinical presentation is usually characterized by acute radicular pain followed by progressive paralysis and sensory loss of symmetric nature. The Brown-Sequard syndrome is an exceptional result of SCEH (7, 16, 28). Surgical evacuation of the hematoma is the standard therapy, although conservatively treated SCEH cases have been reported (9). We presented a case of a cervical spontaneous epidural hematoma presenting with an incomplete Brown-Sequard syndrome and treated by surgical evacuation. Case report