BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: An elderly man with no obvious preexisting coagulation disorder had paraplegia following epidural block for transurethral prostatectomy that was later found to be due to a large epidural hematoma requiring surgical decompression of the spinal cord. METHODS: There was a delay in starting treatment since the cause was not initially suspected. RESULTS: The patient did not improve much after the operation. CONCLUSIONS: The anesthesiologist should be alert to the possibility of epidural hematoma forming in otherwise normal patients to avoid such unfavorable outcomes.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: An elderly man with no obvious preexisting coagulation disorder had paraplegia following epidural block for transurethral prostatectomy that was later found to be due to a large epidural hematoma requiring surgical decompression of the spinal cord. METHODS: There was a delay in starting treatment since the cause was not initially suspected. RESULTS: The patient did not improve much after the operation. CONCLUSIONS: The anesthesiologist should be alert to the possibility of epidural hematoma forming in otherwise normal patients to avoid such unfavorable outcomes.