Acute spinal epidural hematoma and cranial interdural hematoma due to a rupture of a posterior communicating artery aneurysm: case report.

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE: We describe an unusual presentation of a ruptured aneurysm of the posterior communicating artery with an acute intracranial hematoma between the dural layers associated with an acute spinal epidural hematoma descending to L1.

CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 35-year-old woman presented 3 hours after ictus with a postcoital headache, neck stiffness, and bilateral abducens cranial nerve palsy. No other neurological deficits were present. Clinically, she had a subarachnoid hemorrhage World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies grade 1. CT scan demonstrates an acute subdural hematoma, extending from the right parasellar region, around the clivus, tentorium, and falx. Angio-CT showed a posterior communicating artery aneurysm and an anterior communicating artery aneurysm and an extension of the hematoma to the cervical spine. This justified a spinal and cerebral MRI that confirmed an extension of the hematoma to the epidural space at the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar levels. Three-dimensional digital subtraction angiography confirmed aneurysms on the right posterior communicating artery and on the anterior communicating artery. Both aneurysms were completely occluded by coiling. With reference to the concept of the cranial subdural compartment described in studies conducted using an electron microscope, this group of hematomas was classified as interdural.

CONCLUSION: Ruptured aneurysm of the posterior communicating artery may cause cranial acute interdural hematoma with a typical subarachnoid hemorrhage clinical presentation, and it rarely can extend to spinal epidural space.