title: Spontaneous Spinal Epidural Hematoma: A Retrospective Study on Prognostic Factors and Review of the Literature.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) is a rare clinical entity. Patients typically present with sudden onset back pain followed by neurological deficits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnosis of SSEH is usually made with MRI and standard treatment is surgical evacuation. In 1996, Groen published the most comprehensive review on the SSEH in which he analyzed 333 cases. We review 104 cases of SSEH presented in the English literature since the last major review and add three of our own cases, for a total of 107 cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our patients presented with back pain and neurologic deficits. Two made excellent functional recovery with prompt surgical decompression while one continued to have significant deficits despite evacuation. Better postoperative outcome was associated with less initial neurological dysfunction, shorter time to operation from symptom onset and male patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We discuss the etiology of SSEH and report current trends in diagnosis, treatment, and outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis Medical Center, USA.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fedor
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis Medical Center, USA.
authors.forename: Eric S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Biostatistics, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, USA.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis Medical Center, USA.
authors.forename: J Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Muizelaar
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, Davis Medical Center, USA.
authors.forename: Kee D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Back pain; MRI; Neurological deficits; Spinal epidural hematoma