Spontaneous resolved cervical spine epidural hematoma: A case report

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Neurosurgery
• Radiology

Background:

• Cervical spine epidural hematomas (CSEH) are rare neurological emergencies.
• Surgical intervention is the standard treatment for CSEH.
• Conservative management is rarely documented for CSEH.

Observation:

• A 44-year-old female with cervical myelopathy experienced mild quadriparesis after chiropractic manipulation.
• Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed a CSEH.
• The patient refused surgical intervention and opted for conservative management.

Findings:

• The patient showed spontaneous neurological improvement within 4 days.
• Follow-up MRI at 1 month revealed complete resolution of the CSEH.
• The patient's cervical myelopathy fully resolved with conservative treatment.

Implications:

• This case suggests that conservative management can be a viable option for select CSEH cases.
• Further research is needed to establish criteria for conservative versus surgical treatment of CSEH.
• This finding may influence future treatment guidelines for CSEH, particularly after chiropractic manipulation.