Published online Jul 26, 2021. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v9.i21.6125
Peer-review started: March 25, 2021
First decision: April 29, 2021
Revised: April 30, 2021
Accepted: May 19, 2021
Article in press: May 19, 2021
Published online: July 26, 2021
Ligamentum flavum hematoma (LFH) can cause compression of the spinal cord or nerve root, which results in neurological symptoms. We report a case of lumbar radicular pain due to LFH following a traffic accident.
A 59-year-old man complained of left buttock and lateral thigh pain that was dull in nature after a traffic accident 18 d prior to presentation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), taken 17 d after the traffic accident, revealed a mass lesion at the L4-5 Level. These MRI findings suggested subacute LFH. The patient’s pain was not alleviated with conservative treatment, including oral medication and epidural steroid injection. After a partial-hemilaminectomy and removal of LFH, the patient’s pain completely disappeared.
Because early operation for decompression is important for a good outcome, clinicians should be able to determine LFH from MRI results and be aware of the possibility of LFH, especially in patients with a history of trauma.
Core Tip: Magnetic resonance imaging is the method of choice for diagnosis of ligamentum flavum hematoma (LFH). In the acute stage of LFH, the hematoma appears hypointense in T2-weighted images and isointense in T1-weighted images. Between 3 and 7 d of LFH, the methemoglobin causes the hematoma to be hyper