Hemorrhagic thoracic schwannoma presenting with intradural hematoma and acute paraplegia after spinal manipulation therapy

Int J Spine Surg. 2016 Dec 20:10:42. doi: 10.14444/3042. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Hemorrhagic conversion of spinal schwannomas represents a rare occurrence; also rare is the development of a spinal intradural hematoma after spinal manipulation therapy. We report a unique presentation of paraplegia in a patient who underwent spinal manipulation therapy and was found to have a hemorrhagic thoracic schwannoma at time of surgery in the setting of anti-platelet therapy use. In patients with spinal schwannomas, tumor hemorrhage is a rare occasion, which can be considered in the setting of additive effects of spinal manipulation therapy and antiplatelet therapy.

Keywords: hemorrhagic schwannoma; intradural spinal hemorrhage; spinal schwannoma; thoracic schwannoma.