Epidural hematoma after routine epidural steroid injection

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Pain Management
• Spinal Procedures

Background:

• Epidural spinal hematoma is a rare complication of interventional pain procedures.
• Few cases have been reported in medical literature.

Observation:

• A patient without known risk factors, including coagulopathy, developed a spinal epidural hematoma.
• The event occurred after an epidural steroid injection (ESI) at an anatomical site previously treated successfully twice.

Findings:

• The patient's ability to recognize neurological deficits due to avoidance of sedation was critical.
• Prompt diagnosis and surgical decompression of the hematoma were achieved.

Implications:

• This case highlights the importance of early detection in managing post-procedural spinal epidural hematoma.
• Avoiding sedation may facilitate earlier recognition of neurological deficits after epidural injections.