Abstract
Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) represents an extremely rare cause of spinal
cord compression. Symptomatic pure extradural spinal AVMs (E-sAVM), in the absence
of cavernous hemangiomas, are very rare and have rarely been reported. The clinical
presentation of SEH caused by E-sAVM is often nonspecific and may lead to delayed
diagnosis and treatment. We report the case of a 16-year-old adolescent girl who presented
with paraparesis that rapidly evolved in paraplegia. Emergent magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) of the whole spine showed a posterior SEH, extending from C7 to T2, highly suspicious
for the presence of an underlying AVM. The patient underwent emergent C7–T2 laminoplasty.
An E-sAVM was intraoperatively found and subsequently excised. The patient was discharged
with no neurological defects. E-sAVMs are extremely rare pathologies; they represent
an extremely rare cause of spinal cord compression. If immediately diagnosed and treated,
most patients recover with good prognosis.
Keywords
epidural spinal hematoma - spinal epidural vascular malformation - spinal digital
subtraction angiography
