Subdural Hematoma Presenting as Recurrent Syncope

Syncope is a common emergency department (ED) complaint. Recurrent syncope is less common, but may be concerning for serious underlying pathology. It often requires a broad diagnostic evaluation that may include neurologic imaging.

We present the case of a 75-year-old man with non-small-cell carcinoma who presented to the ED for recurrent syncope after coughing spells over the 2 weeks preceding his arrival at the ED. He had a normal cardiac evaluation, however, he had some subacute neurologic changes that prompted obtaining a computed tomography (CT) scan of the head. This led to the diagnosis of atraumatic subdural hematoma that was causing transient transtentorial herniation leading to the recurrent syncope. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Emergency physicians should be aware that recurrent syncope is a possible presentation of increased intracranial pressure that may be due to a mass lesion, particularly if the patient has any acute or subacute neurologic changes. Although this association with a subdual hematoma is rare, other cases of mass lesions leading to syncope after coughing spells have been reported in the literature.