Spontaneous chronic subdural hematoma development in chronic myeloid leukemia cases at remission phase under maintenance therapy, management strategy - a series with literature review

Abstract

AbstractChronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is common squeal of trauma and rarely associated with anticoagulant therapy, antiplatelet, chemotherapeutic drugs, arteriovenous malformation, aneurysms and post-craniotomy. However its occurrence is very unusual with systemic haematological malignancy and mostly reported with acute myeloid leukemia; however incidence of SDH occurrence in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is very rare. CML is a haematological malignancy characterized by chromosomal alteration, pathologically represents increased proliferation of the granulocytic cell line without loss of capacity to differentiate. CML has three phases - remission phase, accelerated phase and blast crisis. About 85 % of patients present in remission phase of disease and carries a favorable prognosis. As intracranial, subdural hematoma usually occur in the accelerated phase or blast crisis phase or extremely uncommon during chronic remission phase, although only those affected, who are neglecting therapeutic medication or discontinued therapy or rarely as an adverse effect of medications. However, important role of neurosurgeon lies in early detection and correction of platelet count and associated hematological abnormality as quite sizeable proportion of cases may not need surgical intervention instead can be managed conservatively under regular supervision in association with oncologist colleague, but few cases may need urgent surgical intervention. So, selecting a subgroup of CML cases in the remission phase requiring surgical intervention, presenting with CSDH is not only challenging, as failure to make an informed and timely precise decision can lead to catastrophic worse outcome and even mortality. So, purpose of current article is to formulate the management therapeutic plan. Authors report three cases of CML in chronic remission phase, receiving treatment under guidance of Haemto-oncologist at our institute presented with spontaneous chronic SDH. The mean age was 36 years (range 29- 44 years), 66% were male, headache was presenting feature in all 100% (n=3), 66% cases were hemiplegic and 33% unconscious each, in 66% cases CSDH were located on right fronto-temporal region and 33% had small left sided thin CSDH. About were 66% cases (n=2) were managed surgically by burr hole placement and drainage drain placement while 33% case (n=1), who had thin CSDH was managed conservatively.Favorable outcome was observed in 100% cases (n=3) Outcome was favorable in all of our cases.