Acute subdural hematoma and pachymeningitis carcinomatosa: case report

Subdural hematomas may affect 0.4-5 p. 100 of patients with cancer, because of predisposing risk factors or because of the cancer itself. The most lik ely association is with hematological cancer with coagulative disorders. An association with pachymeningitis carcinomatosa is less likely. In this ins tance the subdural hematoma is due to a neoplastic obstruction of dural vei n with subdural engorgement and hemorrhage or subdural effusion. We report a case in which an acute neurological deterioration due to a subdural hemat oma disclosed a dural metastasis from a breast cancer operated four years e arlier and present a literature review.