Subarachnoid hemorrhage and papilledema due to a cervical neurilemmoma

Abstract

An unusual case of a cervical neurilemmoma is presented. A 67-year-old man developed papilledema on two occasions in association with the symptoms and signs of a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). He proved to have an otherwise asymptomatic cervical neurilemmoma. It is suggested that both acute and subclinical bleeding from such tumors may sometimes underlie the development of raised intracranial pressure occasionally encountered. The clinical clue to the spinal origin of the SAH was an acute onset with root pain. This case is discussed with reference to similar cases in the literature.