Solitary spinal epidural cavernous haemangioma presenting as acute epidural haematoma.

Abstract This report describes a case of solitary spinal epidural cavernous haemangioma presenting as an acute epiduralhaematoma. The patient is a 50 year old diabetic female with right brachalgia and hemiparesis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated the presence of a cervical spinal epidural haematoma. The patient underwent laminectomy and total removal of the haematoma and the accompanying vascular tissue. The diagnosis of cavernous haernangioma was proven by histological examination. Because the source of bleeding in most cases of spontaneous spinal epidural haematoma is usually obscure, the authors emphasise the possibility that a small cavernous haemangioma can be one of the bleeding sources in some of these cases.