Cystothecostomy: a new technique to treat long segment spinal extradural arachnoid cyst

Pathogenesis and treatment of the spinal arachnoid cyst has not been well established. A novel method of treatment of a long segment spinal arachnoid cyst is being presented in a 9-year-old boy. He presented to us with a slowly progressive spastic paraparesis. MRI revealed dorsal epidural arachnoid cyst extending from T7 vertebral body to L1 body producing marked cord compression. In order to save the child from a long segment laminectomy or laminoplasty, a new minimally invasive technique was devised. In this technique L1 laminectomy was performed under local anaesthesia, and the cyst was communicated to thecal sac by making an interconnecting stoma. We named this procedure as cystothecostomy. There was gradual neurological recovery after the procedure.