Editor-in-Chief: Alaa Abd-Elsayed, MD, PhD
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BACKGROUND: Cervical radiculopathy and radiculitis cause neck pain and conservative treatments are the first step. A cervical epidural steroid injection (CESI) can help if other treatments fail, but it could have side effects and serious complications. This case report describes a rare complication (epidural hematoma) of parasagittal interlaminar CESI (PCESI).
CASE REPORT: A 62-year-old woman, candidate for the right PCESI, complained of unrelieved pain in the injection site after the procedure. Due to a decrease in movement, sensation, and muscle force, epidural hematoma was suspected. She was transferred to the hospital. In magnetic resonance imaging, a hematoma was evident. After 72 hours under surveillance, the hematoma was absorbed, and she fully recovered.
CONCLUSIONS: Epidural hematoma is an infrequent complication of CESI. This report may be an alarm to consider this complication, specific to this technique, which may be due to vascular anatomy.
KEY WORDS: Parasagittal interlaminar cervical epidural steroid injection, epidural hematoma, cervical radiculopathy, cervical radiculitis
