Traumatic lumbar spinal subdural hematoma

•Nonsurgical management can be effective in traumatic lumbar spinal subdural hematoma.•Oral corticosteroids are an effective treatment of some traumatic lumbar spinal subdural hematomas.•Lumbar spinal SDHs have shown good recovery independent of surgical intervention.•The most effective treatment of traumatic lumbar SDHs has yet to be elucidated.

Spinal subdural hematoma (SDH) is a rare and potentially life-threatening condition associated with trauma, lumbar puncture, hemorrhagic disorder, anticoagulant therapy, spinal surgery, tumor, vascular malformations, and spinal or epidural anesthesia. Traumatic SDH is even more uncommon than other forms of SDH with only 10 reported cases in the literature.Following a punch to the head and loss of consciousness, a 35-year-old man reported headaches, right-sided tinnitus, and dull ache behind both eyes. He also experienced sacral pain with stiffness that was exacerbated by movement. MRI showed an isolated lumbar SDH causing mild stenosis. On follow-up, the patient still experienced right-sided tinnitus and bilateral sacral radiculopathy and was prescribed prednisone with repeat MRI at 6weeks. At the next follow-up, the patient’s radiculopathy had resolved completely.Our case illustrates rapid resolution of a posttraumatic spinal SDH after treatment with oral corticosteroids. Recognition of blood products on MRI is vital to diagnosis and expedient treatment. There is agreement that prompt laminectomy with evacuation of SDH should be performed before permanent damage to the spinal cord occurs. Including our patient, 4 of 11 reported cases of thoracic or lumbar SDH resolved with conservative treatment.