An intramedullary spinal cord hematoma (hematomyelia) develops due to a medullary hemorrhage, which may be the result of injuries, ruptures of vascular formations (arteriovenous malformations or aneurysms), tumors, infections, coagulopathies (blood clotting disorders), inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system, and other pathologies. This rare disease is essentially a type of spinal hemorrhagic stroke. The treatment of intramedullary spinal cord hematoma in Germany is carried out using conservative and surgical techniques. The treatment is followed by neurological rehabilitation to fully or partially restore the impaired spinal cord functions.
Content
- Conservative therapy for spinal cord hematomas
- Surgical removal of hematomas
- Neurological rehabilitation
An intramedullary hematoma is treated with an operation to remove it within a short time after the formation of the neoplasm. A laminectomy is usually used as a surgical approach to remove pressure from the spinal cord and evacuate the accumulation of blood.
You can seek medical attention from the Catholic Clinic Koblenz-Montabaur, the Charite University Hospital Berlin, or the University Hospital Freiburg.
You do not have to deal with the organization of your treatment yourself if you make an appointment at the hospital through the Booking Health service. We will find the best hospital for you, contact its administration, and make an appointment on your preferred dates. We will also translate your medical records into German, book hotel and airline tickets, meet you at the airport in Germany, and take you to the hospital by car.
Conservative therapy for spinal cord hematomas
Patients with suspected spinal cord hemorrhages are hospitalized, and they undergo their diagnostics with an MRI. This is the most informative diagnostic method. However, if a person is admitted to the hospital after a spinal injury, a CT scan will be performed, since this technique better visualizes the bone structures.
Patients receive drug therapy that improves blood clotting. Medicines help shrink the hematoma and reduce the risk of recurrent hemorrhages.
The spinal cord becomes inflamed and swollen after a hemorrhage. A patient is given large doses of corticosteroids to control swelling and prevent permanent nerve lesions.
Surgical removal of hematomas
Patients who have hematomas require emergency decompression (reduction of pressure on the spinal cord) to prevent the death of nervous tissue. Doctors usually perform a decompressive laminectomy. They remove the vertebral arches on both sides, and after approaching the spinal cord, surgeons evacuate the hematoma.
German specialists avoid significant spinal cord lesions during treatment. They select the safest route to the hematoma using neuronavigation. Intraoperative neuromonitoring helps the specialists avoid any lesions to important tissues of the spinal cord while maintaining its functions.
If the hematoma is large and the vertebral arches have to be removed at several levels at once, then the spinal stability may be impaired. Doctors can fix the vertebrae or implant a dynamic stabilization system to avoid this. The second option is better, as it maintains the mobility of the spinal column, preventing degeneration of the adjacent spinal segments.
Neurological rehabilitation
After any spinal cord hemorrhage, regardless of how large the hematoma was or whether it had to be removed surgically, patients develop a neurological deficit. Rehabilitation helps reduce it.
Rehabilitation at German hospitals after spinal strokes, injuries, and surgeries is carried out using modern technologies. Doctors use robot-assisted simulators, exoskeletons, biofeedback, and virtual reality. After rehabilitation at the German center, a patient is highly likely to walk again and take care of himself. And what is more, many people return to work and their usual active lives.
You are welcome to use the Booking Health service to undergo your spinal cord hematoma treatment in Germany. On our website, you can find out the cost of treatment at various hospitals and choose a medical care program at the best price. Your medical expenses will be reduced if you make an appointment for your treatment abroad through the Booking Health service. The cost of treatment will be reduced due to the lack of additional coefficients for foreign patients. Our specialists will select clinics in Germany for you and arrange your trip.
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova and Dr. Sergey Pashchenko. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
Sources:
MedlinePlus
NHS
Healthline
