Epidural haemorrhage of the cervical spinal cord: a post-mortem artefact?

Neuropathol Appl Neurobiol. 2005 Jun;31(3):247-57. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2990.2004.00633.x.

Abstract

Spinal epidural haemorrhage is a rare entity that occurs uncommonly in adults and rarely in children. It has a typical clinical presentation, although to date, the cause for the majority of cases remains unknown. We present a series of cases where epidural haemorrhage was identified at post-mortem, principly to the cervical cord, in cases outside the age range usually reported for clinical epidural haemorrhage, and with no underlying pathology to account for the finding. We present a hypothesis for a post-mortem cause for this finding and consider that, in the absence of any other identifiable causation, then this is a post-mortem occurrence similar to that of the Prinsloo-Gordon artefact of the soft tissues of the neck. This finding must be interpreted with care so as not to make the mistaken diagnosis of a nonaccidental head injury based on its finding, especially in the absence of intracranial, cranial nerve, optic nerve or eye pathologies.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Artifacts*
  • Cervical Vertebrae / pathology
  • Female
  • Hematoma, Epidural, Spinal / etiology*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Postmortem Changes*