Am J Case Rep, 2019 · DOI: 10.12659/AJCR.917716 · Published: September 13, 2019
This case report describes a 72-year-old male who developed a spinal epidural hematoma after epidural catheter removal following urgent coronary intervention. The patient had undergone surgery and subsequently experienced a heart attack, requiring antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy, complicating the epidural catheter removal. The authors conclude that in patients needing urgent antithrombotic therapy for coronary issues, epidural catheter removal should be delayed until the antithrombotic measures are discontinued and platelet counts recover.
Delay epidural catheter removal in patients requiring urgent antithrombotic therapy for coronary intervention until anticoagulation is stopped and platelet counts recover.
Carefully assess the risk of spinal hematoma in patients with combined antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy.
Closely monitor patients for neurological symptoms after epidural catheter removal, especially in the context of antithrombotic therapy.