Spontaneous extradural hematoma in sickle cell anaemia-a stroke mimic

In the absence of trauma, extradural hematoma is rarely considered a cause of hemiplegia in a sickle cell disease patient, rather a cerebrovascular accident, as this occurs in about a quarter of sickle cell disease patients. We report two sickle cell anaemia patients who were initially diagnosed as cases of stroke having presented with hemiplegia/hemiparesis without a prior history of trauma to the head. Cranial computed tomographic scans however revealed extradural hematomas and both of them underwent surgical evacuation of the hematomas with subsequent neurologic recovery.