Acute spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma without any identified etiology is a rare
phenomenon and an uncommon cause of acute spinal cord compression. We report a case
of acute spontaneous cervical spinal epidural hematoma, with sudden onset of acute
neck pain and left-side body weakness during sleep which resembling of cervicle carotid
dissection. The pain commenced suddenly, early in the morning while the patient was
asleep. He had no previous history of any relevant medical disorder. Cervical Spine
MRI revealed a cervical epidural haematoma at C3/C4, mainly on the left side, with
spinal cord compression. Therefore, an emergent C3/C6 hemilaminectomy and evacuation
of hematoma were carried out within 24 h of presentation. The patient's neck pain
resolved after surgery and he was able to walk, though he required bladder catheterization
on discharge after 1 week. He has nearly intact motor neurological examination in
the second month of the operation.
Key-words:
Acute - cervical - carotid - dissection - epidural hematoma - magnetic resonance imaging
- sleep - spinal - spontaneous - stroke