SPONTANEOUS CERV?CAL EP?DURAL HEMATOMA DUE TO ORAL ANT?COAGULANT USE

Abstract

Author(s): Ertuğrul Altınbilek, Derya Öztürk, Çilem Çaltılı, Müge Sönmez, Harika Gündüz, Balkan Şahin, İbrahim İkizceli, Cemil Kavalcı

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SCEH) is a considerbaly rare clinical condition. It may lead to persistent neurological deficits or even death unless recognized and treated early in its course. It usually occurs after trauma but may also develop spontaneously. Majority of cases can be diagnosed with a detailed neurological examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Urgent surgical tehrapy is the preferred mode of treatment in advanced cases while a conservative approach is selected for cases with mild neurological deficit. MRI is regarded as the imaging modality of choice fort he diagnosis of SCEH. We report a case of nontrumatic SCEH after oral anticoagulant (OAC) use that presented with sudden-onset paraplegia. We also reviewed the relevant literature.