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Transforaminal Full-Endoscopic Lumbar Foraminotomy Under Local Anesthesia for L5/S1 Adjacent Segment Foraminal Stenosis
Published on: October 17, 2025
Sudden foot drop caused by foraminal gas pseudocyst
Hyun Sook Kim1, Heyun Sung Kim, Seok Won Kim
1Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea.
Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
|September 3, 2011
Summary
A rare gas pseudocyst in the lumbar spine caused sudden foot drop in a 67-year-old woman. Surgical removal confirmed the diagnosis, highlighting its importance in differential diagnosis for foot drop.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Radiology
- Pathology
Background:
- Lumbar radiculopathy can present with various symptoms, including foot drop.
- Foraminal gas pseudocysts are an uncommon cause of nerve root compression.
Observation:
- A 67-year-old woman presented with acute onset of left-sided foot drop.
- Imaging revealed a gas-containing lesion compressing the left L5 nerve root at the L5-S1 foramen.
Findings:
- Surgical intervention via a posterior approach successfully removed the lesion.
- Histopathological examination confirmed the lesion as a gas pseudocyst.
Implications:
- This case underscores the necessity of considering gas pseudocysts in the differential diagnosis of sudden foot drop.
- Prompt diagnosis and surgical management can lead to favorable outcomes for this rare condition.
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