Hemorrhage affecting the spinal cord is rare.
It is most commonly caused by trauma, vascular malformations, or bleeding diatheses and can be intramedullary, subarachnoid, subdural, or epidural. Onset is usually sudden and painful, causing myelopathic signs and symptoms. Hematomyelia is caused by bleeding within the substance of the spinal cord. The blood tends to dissect longitudinally above and below the hemorrhage, disrupting gray matter more than white matter. Spinal EDH has a bimodal distribution with peaks during childhood and the 5 th and 6 th decades.