Acute spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma with chest pain as the initial manifestation:a case report
Wei Ping
Bai Fang
Zhao Zhenyu
Zhao Yajuan
Zhang Na
Zhang Hua
Abstract：Acute spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma(ASSEH)is a rare spontaneous hemorrhagic emergency.Its insidious onset and atypical symptoms often lead to clinical misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis.Delayed diagnosis and treatment can result in irreversible neurological damage or even life-threatening consequences.We report a case of a young female patient who was admitted with"chest pain for 2 hours".She presented with unexplained back pain that progressively radiated to the precordial area,manifesting as intensifying sharp pain.The initial suspected diagnosis was acute myocardial infarction(AMI).During treatment,the patient developed numbness and weakness in both lower limbs,along with urinary and fecal incontinence.Based on electrocardiogram,CT/MRI,laboratory tests,and clinical manifestations,a definitive diagnosis of ASSEH was established.The patient improved after emergency surgery and was discharged.This case report discusses the clinical features,diagnostic process,and management of ASSEH,aiming to improve recognition of this condition among clinicians.
Keywords：Acute spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma(ASSEH)Chest painSpinal cord compressionSpinal hemorrhageMagnetic resonance imaging(MRI)Diagnosis
Publication Date：2026-02-10
Online Publishing Date：2026-03-18(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：4( 118-121 )