Unilateral Papilledema Revealing a Subdural Hematoma in a Sickle Cell Patient

Abstract

The authors report a case of papilledema revealing a subdural hematoma in a 24-year-old male subject with known SS homozygous sickle cell disease. The patient presented with a sudden unilateral visual acuity loss on the right side and violent headaches that were resistant to level 1 analgesics. The discovery of unilateral papilledema on fundus examination led to a CT scan which revealed a subdural hematoma. The evolution was favorable under corticoid and hypotonizing treatment with the total resorption of the papillary edema, a significant regression of the subdural hematoma after 10 days of treatment and a recovery of the visual acuity. The authors insist on the necessity of performing a fundus examination accompanied by a CT scan in all sickle cell patients in the context of intractable headaches.