Related Experiment Videos
Far lateral extraforaminal lumbar synovial cyst: report of two cases
Loi K Phuong1, John L D Atkinson, Kent R Thielen
1Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
Objective And Importance:
We present two cases of a far lateral extraforaminal synovial cyst at the L5-S1 level of the spine. Neither case was diagnosed as a synovial cyst before surgery because of their atypical location. Only one other case of an extraforaminal synovial cyst, located at L4-L5, has been reported in the literature.
Clinical Presentation:
Both women presented with radicular leg pain and examination findings consistent with L5 root compression.
Intervention:
During surgery, the cyst was not associated with the facet joint. One cyst was adherent to the nerve root. Both cysts were completely resected, with excellent pain relief.
Conclusion:
These cases serve as a stimulus to look outside the spinal canal and foramen in patients with symptoms suggesting nerve root compression. Far lateral extraforaminal synovial cyst should be included in the differential diagnosis.