Bilateral subdural haematomas following lumbar puncture in three haematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients

Abstract

Between 1990 and 1996, three patients (1.1%), all with CML, among 272 patients with haematological malignancies, developed bilateral subdural haematomas (SDH) after treatment with i.t. MTX before HSCT in our unit. Since October 1996, we have given i.t. MTX only to patients at increased risk of CNS leukaemia such as ALL and AML M4 or M5. We suggest that intrathecal treatment before HSCT should only be given to patients at increased risk of CNS leukaemia.