Acute subdural hematoma following spinal cerebrospinal fluid drainage in a patient with freezing of gait

J Clin Neurol. 2009 Jun;5(2):95-6. doi: 10.3988/jcn.2009.5.2.95. Epub 2009 Jun 30.

Abstract

Background: Headache is a common complication of lumbar puncture (LP). Although in most cases post-LP headaches are not severe and have a benign course, they can also be a manifestation of a potentially life-threatening complication such as subdural hematoma (SDH).

Case report: We describe a patient in whom a massive SDH developed after LP and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage, which were performed during the diagnostic evaluation of freezing of gait.

Conclusions: SDH should not be excluded from the differential diagnosis of headache following LP, especially when there is a loss of CSF.

Keywords: cerebrospinal fluid drainage; freezing of gait; headache; lumbar puncture; subdural hematoma.