title: Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma: a case report and review of the literatures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To emphasize the importance of early recognition and emergent surgery for spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH).
  
  
  METHODS
  A 61-year-old female presented with sudden onset of severe neck and back pain after finishing worshiping Buddha followed by quadriparesis, sensory deficits below C4 level and sphincter dysfunction. MR imaging demonstrated acute extensive epidural hematoma of cervico-thoracic spinal segments (C2-T7). Idiopathic SSEH was diagnosed and emergent decompressive laminectomy with hematoma evacuation was performed within 12 hours of symptoms onset. Good functional and neurological outcomes were obtained.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SSEH is a rare but disabling or even fatal entity. Early diagnosis and prompt surgery improve the neurological and functional outcome but still remain a clinical challenge. Relevant physicians should pay attention to the typical symptoms of the rare entity and SSEH should be one of differential diagnoses.
authors.affiliation: Section of Neurology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Chen
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Jun-Yih
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yuk-Keung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Ping-Hong
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Yuh-Te
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D046748:Hematoma, Epidural, Spinal / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007796:Laminectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed