• Alessandro Svelato, Alberto Rutili, Caterina Bertelloni, Domenico Foti, Angela Capizzi, and Antonio Ragusa.
• Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massa Carrara General Hospital, Via Enrico Mattei, 54100, Massa Carrara, Italy. alessandrosvelato@virgilio.it.
• BMC Anesthesiol. 2019 Apr 11; 19 (1): 54.

BackgroundSpinal epidural hematoma is a rare but serious complication of epidural anaesthesia and neurological impairment. Epidural hematoma usually becomes evident within a few hours of the procedure. Delayed clinical presentation of spinal epidural hematoma is even rarer and insidious.Case PresentationWe reported a case of a 44-year-old woman who underwent a caesarean section for a twin pregnancy during which a delayed dorsal spinal epidural hematoma occurred. Symptoms were reported 5 days after surgery and 72 h after removal of the epidural catheter. An MRI scan showed a dorsal epidural hematoma. The patient was moved to the Neurosurgical Department and underwent decompression surgery.ConclusionThe possibility of the delayed onset of a spinal epidural hematoma in a pregnant woman who undergoes epidural anaesthesia in labour must always be taken into consideration. In order to achieve the best clinical result, we stress the importance of a timely diagnosis and prompt surgical treatment.

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