Spinal hematoma causing severe pain in hip and legs

[Starlite2U2]

My husband had surgery on his spine to insert a three inch rod and pad some bad dics. The doctor said he did an excessive amount of bleeding during the surgery yet  he put in no drain tube. The surgery went well but two days after he came home he started developing a massive hematoma. It was about six inches long and stood two inches off his back in height. The surgeon refuses to drain the hematoma wanting it to self absorb which could take months. He is in massive pain in his left hip
and his left leg turns in with horrible cramping pain. He started to lose the use of his legs to the point he can barely even use a walker. A wheelchair is now necessary. It has been a month since the surgery. His surgeon says his walking ability has nothing to do with the back surgery. He was walking fine until this hemotoma surfaced so this doesn't make sense to me. Whats going on?
Disgusted in Georgia

[Starlite2U2]

Thank you so much for your prompt reply. You confirmed everything that I already suspected. My husband has never been on coumarin or anticoaagulants. His surgeon said he bled out 700 cc instead of the normal 100 most patients do during this type surgery. That alone was enough for a drain tube. The surgeon should have known this but allowed all that excessive blood to just sit there and accumulate to the point my husband looks disfigured and the pain is incredible. The surgeon knows this but said he doesn't want to make any enteries for germs to get in for infection. My husband has threatened to shoot himself or overdose on his meds to end the pain. Its heart breaking seeing him cry from the pain at age 61. This doctor has deaf ears. What should we do. Would another doctor open the incision so it can drain and give him some relief?

[Dr Sharma]

Hi there. A spinal subdural or epidural hematoma is an accumulation of blood in the subdural or epidural space that can mechanically compress the spinal cord.  This usually results from back trauma, anticoagulant or thrombolytic therapy, or in patients with bleeding diatheses, lumbar punchure or post spinal surgery. Symptoms include local or radicular back pain and percussion tenderness, often severe. Spinal cord compression may develop; compression of lumbar spinal roots may cause cauda equine syndrome and lower extremity paresis. Deficit can progress over minutes to hours. MRI or CT myelopgraphy is required for diagnosis and treatment requires immediate surgical drainage. If your husband is on coumarin anticoagulants, phytonadione or vitamin K needs to be given along with fresh frozen plasma to normalize the INR, platelets are given if there is thrombocytopenia. Your husband needs immediate surgical intervention if his limbs function could be salvaged. Take care.