[Spontaneous remission of cervical epidural hematoma with pathological confirmation]

Spontaneous cervical epidural hematoma (CEH) is a rare entity but one that can cause permanent neurologic deficit unless, it is widely believed, surgical evacuation is prompt. A diagnosis of CEH is confirmed by computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging. Spontaneous remission is unusual, with only 7 such cases reported in the literature as of 1993. We present a case of CEH with clinical remission and confirmation by neuroimaging in a patient who died of an unrelated cause. We conclude that when neurologic deficit is incomplete and there are no signs of clinical progression after 48 h, surgical treatment should not be applied routinely.