# Spinal epidural hematoma

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Medical condition

Spinal epidural hematoma Specialty Neurology

**Spinal extradural haematoma** or **spinal epidural hematoma** (**SEH**) is bleeding into the [epidural space](/source/Epidural_space) in the spine. These may arise spontaneously (e.g. during childbirth), or as a rare complication of [epidural anaesthesia](/source/Epidural_administration) or of surgery (such as [laminectomy](/source/Laminectomy)).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Symptoms usually include [back pain](/source/Back_pain) which radiates to the arms or the legs.[1] They may cause pressure on the [spinal cord](/source/Spinal_cord) or [cauda equina](/source/Cauda_equina), which may present as pain, [muscle weakness](/source/Muscle_weakness), or dysfunction of the bladder and bowel.

## Pathophysiology

The anatomy of the epidural space is such that spinal epidural hematoma has a different presentation from intracranial epidural hematoma. In the spine, the epidural space contains loose fatty tissue and a network of large, thin-walled veins, referred to as the epidural venous plexus. The source of bleeding in spinal epidural hematoma is likely to be this venous plexus.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## Diagnosis

The best way to confirm the diagnosis is [MRI](/source/MRI).[1] Risk factors include anatomical abnormalities and [bleeding disorders](/source/Coagulopathy).

## Treatment

Treatment is generally with emergency surgery.[1] The risk following epidural anaesthesia is difficult to quantify; estimates vary from 1 per 10,000 to 1 per 100,000 epidural anaesthetics.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Al2010_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Al2010_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Al2010_1-2) Al-Mutair, A; Bednar, DA (August 2010). "Spinal epidural hematoma". *The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons*. **18** (8): 494–502. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.5435/00124635-201008000-00006](https://doi.org/10.5435%2F00124635-201008000-00006). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [20675642](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20675642).

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Spinal epidural hematoma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinal_epidural_hematoma) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinal_epidural_hematoma?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.