Spontaneous Spinal Epidural Hematoma

ABSTRACT

The authors reviewed 16 cases of spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma(SSEH) described in the Journal of the Korean Neurosurgical Society and one case unpublished case of our own. Attention was focused on sex,age, medical history, position and vertebral level of the hematoma, preoperative neurological condition and operative result. This study comprised 17 patients, 14 males and 3 females, between five and 79 years old. All vertebral segments were affected, though the thoracic area predominated. In 13 patients, sensory and/or motor deficit was incomplete and in four, SSEH resulted in complete preoperative sensory and motor loss. In all patients, the hematomas were removed surgically through total laminectomy. In four, postoperative recovery was total, but in ten, was incomplete, and the neurological condition of three showed no improvement. We concluded that in cases of SSEH, this operation is the treatment of choice.