Chronic spontaneous cervicothoracic epidural hematoma in an 8-month-old infant

The Necessity of Extensive Decompression for Spinal Epidural Hematoma: A Case Report and Literature Review

Spinal epidural hematomas (SEHs)are space-occupying lesions that exert pressure on the spinal cord by rapidly accumulating blood between the dura and bone or ligament components. The annual incidence of spontaneous epidural hematoma is estimated to be one in one million. The predominant symptoms are back pain or neurological impairment, including sensory, motor, or autonomic dysfunction of the limbs below the hematoma level. Depending on the level and size of the hematoma and the affected cord, they cause neurological deficits. Neurological deficits are often reversible if diagnosed and treated early with surgical decompression. However, neurological deficits can become permanent if the patient is not operated on timely, and paraplegia or quadriplegia may occur. A 53-year-old man presented to our emergency department with acute-onset back pain and 36-hour-long, rapidly progressive paraparesis of both legs. On T1- and T2-weighted MRI scans, a hyperacute SEH was found as iso/hyperintense and hyperintense, respectively. Immediate decompressive laminectomy from T10 to L2 and hematoma evacuation were performed. It was challenging to remove the hematoma due to its firm consistency. Before performing a bilateral total laminectomy at five levels, the posterior spine was stabilized between T10 and L3 using transpedicular screws. Within 24 hours, the motor function of the lower limbs increased considerably. The patient could sit on a chair because of posterior stability. In addition to the importance of early diagnosis using imaging techniques, planning the extension of SEH surgery is crucial for the patient's postoperative neurological recovery.

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma in an infant presenting with Horner syndrome

BACKGROUND

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) is a rare neurologic entity, especially in infants, that develops in the absence of underlying coagulopathy, bleeding diathesis, infection, vascular malformation, trauma, iatrogenic, or other identifiable cause. In contrast to adults, diagnosis is frequently delayed or missed in infants due to non-specific symptoms and limited clinical examination.

CASE ILLUSTRATION

An 11-month-old female demonstrated symptoms of irritability, intermittent diarrhea, lethargy, decreased oral intake, and difficulties crawling before presenting to the emergency room. At time of presentation, she was noted to have minimal spontaneous movement of the lower extremities and anisocoria with ptosis of the right eye. Given her clinical presentation, a magnetic resonance image (MRI) of the spine was obtained which revealed an epidural hematoma with compression extending from C7-T3. She underwent C7-T3 laminoplasty and hematoma evacuation. Following surgical intervention, she demonstrated significant improvements in her lower extremity strength and resolution of Horner syndrome.

CONCLUSION

SSEH in infants is a rare neurologic condition, with diagnosis often delayed due to nonspecific symptomatology. Prompt diagnosis and intervention are essential in the treatment of SSEH to prevent permanent neurologic dysfunction. Physicians should have a high index of suspicion for SSEH in these instances, and investigation with spinal MRI imaging is recommended.

Spinal epidural hematoma without significant trauma in children: two case reports and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Spinal epidural hematoma without significant trauma is a rare condition with potentially severe outcome. This case report and systematic review of the literature illustrates the clinical presentation, risk factors, evaluation, treatment and outcomes of spinal epidural hematoma without significant trauma in children.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report one case of a 7-year-old girl who developed a neck pain after minor cervical sprain. MRI showed a right posterior epidural hematoma extending from C2/3 to T1. The hematoma was surgically evacuated, and the histopathology showed an arteriovenous malformation. Postoperative MRI showed complete evacuation of the hematoma and no residual vascular malformation. We report a second ASE with idiopathic spinal epidural hematoma of a 4½-year-old boy presenting with neck pain. MRI showed a right-sided latero-posterior subacute spinal epidural hematoma at C3-C5. Owing to the absence of any neurological deficit, the patient was treated conservatively. MRI at 3 months showed complete resolution of the hematoma.

CONCLUSIONS

Spinal epidural hematoma without significant trauma in children is a rare condition. It may present with unspecific symptoms. Screening for bleeding diathesis is warranted and neuroradiologic follow-up is essential to rule out vascular malformation. Whereas most children have a favorable outcome, some do not recover, and neurological follow-up is required.

Delayed-onset paralysis induced by spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma communicated with hematoma in the paraspinal muscle in a 6-month-old girl: a case report

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) very rarely develops in infants younger than 1 year old. To our knowledge, no previous case of delayed-onset paralysis induced by SSEH communicated with hematoma in the paraspinal muscle has been reported in the literature. The authors present the case of a 6-month-old girl with a tumor mass on her back who developed a paresis of her bilateral lower limbs. On spinal magnetic resonance imaging, the epidural mass appeared to be a dumbbell type and communicated with the mass in the paraspinal muscle through T12/L1 intervertebral foramen at the right side. After excision of the mass in the paraspinal muscle, hemi-laminectomy of T10-L3 was performed. No solid lesion was also present in the spinal canal and it was found to be an epidural hematoma. No malignancy was observed on pathological examination, and vascular and nerve system tumors were negative. When a tumor mass suddenly develops on the back of an infant and motor impairment of the lower limbs develops as the mass gradually enlarges, differential diagnosis should be performed taking SSEH into consideration.

Spontaneous Spinal Epidural Hematoma in an Infant with Developmental Disabilities

Introduction

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematomas (SSEHs) are rare in childhood, especially in infants.

Case Report

We present the case of a 17-month-old-boy with trisomy 21 and a large SSEH. He was hospitalized for acute onset paraplegia after 6 days of irritability. Nine days after symptom onset, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine revealed an extensive epidural hematoma between C7 and T5 causing severe spinal cord compression. After a coagulation disorder was ruled out (12 days after onset), he underwent emergency hemilaminectomy with evacuation of the hematoma. His neurologic impairment gradually improved, and 4 months after surgery he was back to his neurologic baseline. At 18 months after surgery, he was walking independently, although he had some developmental disabilities due to trisomy 21.

Conclusions

Only 20 cases of SSEH in infancy have been previously reported, and this is the first report of SSEH in an infant with developmental disabilities. Because of the non-specific symptoms and difficulty obtaining MRIs in infants, particularly in those with developmental disabilities, the diagnosis and treatment of SSEH may be delayed. However, early diagnosis with MRI and early evacuation of SSEH in patients with severe neurological impairments is important for good outcomes. Attention must be paid to postoperative spinal deformity in infants.

Spontaneous Resolution of Spinal Epidural Hematoma Resulting from Domestic Child Abuse: Case Report

Nonaccidental head injury, as seen in domestic child abuse cases, is often associated with spinal injury, and spinal subdural hematoma is the most frequent diagnosis. While spinal epidural hematomas are a rare occurrence, the incidence of spontaneous epidural hematomas occurring in nonaccidental head injury patients is even lower. Epidural hematomas often result in acute focal neurological deficits necessitating emergent neurosurgical intervention. In patients without focal neurological deficits, conservative management may allow for spontaneous resolution of the epidural hematoma. The authors present the case of a 2-year-old boy with a large spinal epidural hematoma resulting after an event of nonaccidental injury, specifically, domestic child abuse. This patient exhibited no focal neurological deficits and was managed conservatively without surgical clot evacuation. On a follow-up visit, repeat imaging studies demonstrated a stable resolution of spinal epidural hematoma, providing further support for the safety of conservative management in these patients.

Spontaneous thoracic epidural hematoma: a case report and literature review

Spinal epidural hematoma is a rare neurosurgical emergency in respect of motor and sensory loss. Identifiable reasons for spontaneous hemorrhage are vascular malformations and hemophilias. We presented a case of spontaneous epidural hematoma in an 18-year-old female patient who had motor and sensory deficits that had been present for 1 day. On MRI, there was spinal epidural hematoma posterior to the T2-T3 spinal cord. The hematoma was evacuated with T2 hemilaminectomy and T3 laminectomy. Patient recovered immediately after the surgery. Literature review depicted 112 pediatric cases (including the presented one) of spinal epidural hematoma. The female/male ratio is 1.1:2. Average age at presentation is 7.09 years. Clinical presentations include loss of strength, sensory disturbance, bowel and bladder disturbances, neck pain, back pain, leg pain, abdominal pain, meningismus, respiratory difficulty, irritability, gait instability, and torticollis. Most common spinal level was cervicothoracic spine. Time interval from symptom onset to clinical diagnosis varied from immediate to 18 months. Spinal epidural hematoma happened spontaneously in 71.8 % of the cases, and hemophilia was the leading disorder (58 %) in the cases with a definable disorder. Partial or complete recovery is possible after surgical interventions and factor supplementations.

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma in infancy: review of the literature and the "seventh" case report

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematomas (SSEH) are a rare cause of spinal cord compression in childhood and especially in infancy. We reviewed the literature and describe a case of an 8-month-old boy with a large spontaneous cervico-thoracic epidural hematoma. With this review we want to detail the importance of early investigation, diagnosis and treatment in infants with SSEH. In our case the infant presented with irritability and crying and an ascending paralysis within four days. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine demonstrated an extensive epidural hematoma between C5 and L1, serious medullar compression and secondary cervical and thoracic medullar edema and hydromyelia. An emergency laminectomy was performed with evacuation of a well organized hematoma. There was a partial recuperation of the neurologic symptoms. Based on the scarce literature which only concerns seven case reports, SSEH is a rare cause of spinal compression in infancy. The presentation is often not specific and neurological symptoms are often lacking in the beginning. However early diagnosis with MRI and prompt neurosurgical intervention are important to improve outcome.

Spontaneous spinal epidural haematoma mimicking meningitis in a 2-year-old child--a case report and literature review

INTRODUCTION

We report the case of a 2-year-old boy with suspected meningitis who presented with acute onset neck pain and stiffness associated with right-sided weakness and ataxia.

MANAGEMENT

Despite intravenous antibiotics and antiviral treatment, his condition deteriorated. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated spontaneous cervical epidural haematoma (C4-C7) extending down to thoracic (T7) level with associated compression of the spinal cord. He was treated successfully by neurosurgical decompression and made a complete recovery.

DISCUSSION

Spinal epidural haematoma is a neurosurgical emergency characterised by extravasation of blood in the spinal epidural space. The clinical presentation particularly in young children can masquerade other conditions such as meningitis. In this article, we discuss our case and review the literature on spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma with an aim to improve awareness of this condition which if not recognised and treated early can lead to significant lifelong morbidity.