Spinal epidural hematoma progressing to Brown-Sequard syndrome: report of a case

A 51-yr-old woman was transferred to the emergency department with nonspecific interscapular pain and a progressive right-sided hemiparesis. Physical examination and laboratory examination revealed moderate right-sided hemiparesis, with no other focal neurologic deficits. A computed axial tomography scan of the brain was negative. Emergency arteriography revealed bilateral highgrade fibromuscular dysplasia involving the origins of the left and right common carotid arteries. The patient was admitted with the presumptive diagnosis of embolic cerebrovascular accident. Subsequently, the patient developed a left-sided sensory deficit, and magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine revealed a C5-T2 epidural hemorrhage. The patient underwent emergent surgical evacuation of the clot and recovered without incident. Spinal epidural hematomas are rare and typically present as cord compressions with or without pain rather than as unilateral hemiplegia.