Rivaroxaban-Induced Nontraumatic Spinal Subdural Hematoma: An Uncommon Yet Life-Threatening Complication

Abstract EN

In the last decade, the desire for safer oral anticoagulants (OACs) led to the emergence of newer drugs.

Available clinical trials demonstrated a lower risk of OACs-associated life-threatening bleeding events, including intracranial hemorrhage, compared to warfarin.

Nontraumatic spinal hematoma is an uncommon yet life-threatening neurosurgical emergency that can be associated with the use of these agents.

Rivaroxaban, one of the newly approved OACs, is a direct factor Xa inhibitor.

To the best of our knowledge, to date, only two published cases report the incidence of rivaroxaban-induced nontraumatic spinal subdural hematoma (SSDH).

Our case is the third one described and the first one to involve the cervicothoracic spine.