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Published on: October 20, 2023
Synovial Cyst in the Setting of an Interspinous Fusion Device
Brendan F Judy1, Tatiana Abou-Mrad2, Ali Bydon1
1Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Abstract:
Synovial cysts of the spine are degenerative cystic lesions that can lead to severe symptoms secondary to compression of the spinal cord, individual nerve roots, and/or the cauda equina. Some believe the etiology of this entity is related to increased motion across the facet joint and instability. We report a case of a lumbar synovial cyst located at the same level as a previously inserted spinous process fusion device. This case illustrates that, unlike a transpedicular instrumented fusion where the risk of synovial cyst formation is zero, a spinal process fusion can still lead to synovial cyst formation likely due to persistent micromotion across that segment.
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