title: Spontaneous chronic subdural hematoma in a 22-year-old healthy woman.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic subdural hematoma is a common presentation to the neurosurgical practice that tends to occur among the elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  We identify a rare occurrence of a chronic subdural hematoma in a young and otherwise healthy female patient who denied a traumatic brain injury.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Upon reviewing the literature, we found only one reported case of a spontaneous nature in a young patient. The subtle presentation of headaches and absence of neurological deficit could be mistaken as migraine and result in a delay in obtaining imaging and necessary treatment. In this report, we present a 22-year-old patient who complained of persistent headaches and was neurologically intact on examination. Cranial computed tomography revealed the presence of a right-sided chronic subdural hematoma; this was followed by magnetic resonance imaging plus angiogram, which ruled out the presence of a vascular abnormality. A burr-hole craniostomy procedure was used that resulted in resolution of symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Without a heightened clinical suspicion, a similar presentation could be missed, resulting in delayed management.
authors.affiliation: Health Performance Centre, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: ddecarva@uwaterloo.ca.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Carvalho
authors.forename: Saleh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Almenawer
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lozej
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Noble
authors.forename: Naresh K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Murty
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D020200:Hematoma, Subdural, Chronic / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D055815:Young Adult