SOLITARY SPINAL EPIDURAL CAVERNOUS HEMANGIOMA PRESENTING AS ACUTE EPIDURAL HEMATOMA

This report describes a case of solitary spinal epidural cavernous hae mangioma presenting as an acute epidural haematoma. The patient is a 5 0 year old diabetic female with right brachalgia and hemiparesis. Magn etic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated the presence of a cervical s pinal epidural haematoma. The patient underwent laminectomy and total removal of the haematoma and the accompanying vascular tissue. The dia gnosis of cavernous haemangioma was proven by histological examination . Because the source of bleeding in most cases of spontaneous spinal e pidural haematoma is usually obscure, the authors emphasise the possib ility that a small cavernous haemangioma can be one of the bleeding so urces in some of these cases. (C) Pearson Professional 1995