A posttraumatic lumbar spinal synovial cyst

1987 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel I. Franck ◽  
Robert B. King ◽  
George R. Petro ◽  
Michael D. Kanzer

✓ A patient with posttraumatic lumbar radicular paresthesias is presented. The preoperative diagnosis of an epidural synovial cyst was considered. At surgery, an epidural synovial microcystic mass was found emanating from a distracted L4-5 facet joint and dissecting into the layers of the ligamentum flavum. A brief review of the condition is presented.

1974 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 372-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun C. Kao ◽  
Stefan S. Winkler ◽  
J. H. Turner

✓The authors report a case in which a true synovial cyst was found attached to a cervical facet joint. The differential diagnosis involving herniated cervical disc as well as other types of extradural cyst is discussed. The anatomically oriented term “juxta-facet cyst” is proposed to include both ganglion and synovial cysts seen in this area.


1982 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 448-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew F. Omojola ◽  
Erico R. Cardoso ◽  
Allan J. Fox ◽  
Charles G. Drake ◽  
Quentin J. Durward

✓ The authors report a case of ossification of the ligamentum flavum at T-10 and T-11 associated with compressive myelopathy. Metrizamide myelography with computerized tomography allowed precise preoperative diagnosis and anatomic localization of the lesion. The patient had satisfactory and prompt improvement after surgical intervention.


2001 ◽  
Vol 95 (1) ◽  
pp. 139-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ossama Hatem ◽  
Gérard Bedou ◽  
Christian Négre ◽  
Jean Luis Bertrand ◽  
Jean Camo

✓ The authors report three cases of cervical degenerative cysts causing medullary or radiculomedullary compression. Anatomicopathological examination confirmed the fibrous nature of the cyst wall and the absence of a synovial layer. One of the cysts was embedded in the ligamentum flavum, whereas the other two were most lateral and adherent to the facet joint. The physiopathogenesis of these cysts is discussed.


2000 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dhany R. Charest ◽  
Brendan G. Kenny

Object. Synovial cyst is a recognized but infrequent cause of nerve root or spinal canal compression. The authors undertook a review of 839 decompressive spinal procedures performed over a 5-year period. They found seven cases in which the symptoms were caused by synovial cysts. Methods. Six of these cases were in a subgroup of 80 patients who were older than 60 years of age, which represents 7.5% of the total for this age group. More than 200 cases of this abnormality have been reported in the world literature, but the incidence, prevalence, and natural history remain unknown. Conclusions. The authors propose that the incidence of synovial cysts may be more common than recognized in the elderly and suggest that preoperative diagnosis may help limit the extent of the surgical approach.


1977 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 601-608 ◽  
Author(s):  
James N. Domingue ◽  
Charles B. Wilson

✓ Seven cases of pituitary abscess are presented and the relevant world literature is reviewed. An enlarged sella co-existing with bacterial meningitis, or bacterial meningitis coinciding with a known or suspected pituitary tumor should suggest the diagnosis of pituitary abscess. Visual field defects should evoke similar suspicion when present in a patient with meningitis. This reasoning enabled us to make the first reported preoperative diagnosis of pituitary abscess. Therefore, in the management of purulent meningitis, we recommend the following: first, skull films are mandatory; second, if the sella turcica is abnormal, the correct presumptive diagnosis is pituitary abscess; and third, if prompt improvement does not follow appropriate antibiotic therapy, the suspected abscess should be explored and drained via the transsphenoidal approach.


2001 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D. Sawin ◽  
Curtis A. Dickman ◽  
Neil R. Crawford ◽  
M. Stephen Melton ◽  
William D. Bichard ◽  
...  

Object. The use of corticosteroid agents during the healing phase after spinal arthrodesis remains controversial. Although anecdotal opinion suggests that corticosteroids may inhibit bone fusion, such an effect has not been substantiated in clinical trials or laboratory investigations. This study was undertaken to delineate the effect of exogenous corticosteroid administration on bone graft incorporation in an experimental model of posterolateral lumbar fusion. Methods. An established, well-validated model of lumbar intertransverse process spinal fusion in the rabbit was used. Twenty-four adult New Zealand white rabbits underwent L5–6 bilateral posterolateral spinal fusion in which autogenous iliac crest bone graft was used. After surgery, the animals were randomized into two treatment groups: a control group (12 rabbits) that received intramuscular injections of normal saline twice daily and a dexamethasone group (12 rabbits) that received intramuscular dexamethasone (0.05 mg/kg) twice daily. After 42 days, the animals were killed and the integrity of the spinal fusions was assessed by radiography, manual palpation, and biomechanical testing. In seven (58%) of the 12 control rabbits, solid posterolateral fusion was achieved. In no dexamethasone-treated rabbits was successful fusion achieved (p = 0.003). Tensile strength and stiffness of excised spinal segments were significantly lower in dexamethasone-treated animals than in control animals (tensile strength 91.4 ± 30.6 N and 145.3 ± 48.2, respectively, p = 0.004; stiffness 31.4 ± 11.6 and 45.0 ± 15.2 N/mm, respectively, p = 0.02). Conclusions. The corticosteroid agent dexamethasone inhibited bone graft incorporation in a rabbit model of single-level posterolateral lumbar spinal fusion, inducing a significantly higher rate of nonunion, compared with that in saline-treated control animals.


1990 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 378-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph C. Maroon ◽  
Thomas A. Kopitnik ◽  
Larry A. Schulhof ◽  
Adnan Abla ◽  
James E. Wilberger

✓ Lumbar-disc herniations that occur beneath or far lateral to the intervertebral facet joint are increasingly recognized as a cause of spinal nerve root compression syndromes at the upper lumbar levels. Failure to diagnose and precisely localize these herniations can lead to unsuccessful surgical exploration or exploration of the incorrect interspace. If these herniations are diagnosed, they often cannot be adequately exposed through the typical midline hemilaminectomy approach. Many authors have advocated a partial or complete unilateral facetectomy to expose these herniations, which can lead to vertebral instability or contribute to continued postoperative back pain. The authors present a series of 25 patients who were diagnosed as having far lateral lumbar disc herniations and underwent paramedian microsurgical lumbar-disc excision. Twelve of these were at the L4–5 level, six at the L5–S1 level, and seven at the L3–4 level. In these cases, myelography is uniformly normal and high-quality magnetic resonance images may not be helpful. High-resolution computerized tomography (CT) appears to be the best study, but even this may be negative unless enhanced by performing CT-discography. Discography with enhanced CT is ideally suited to precisely diagnose and localize these far-lateral herniations. The paramedian muscle splitting microsurgical approach was found to be the most direct and favorable anatomical route to herniations lateral to the neural foramen. With this approach, there is no facet destruction and postoperative pain is minimal. Patients were typically discharged on the 3rd or 4th postoperative day. The clinical and radiographic characteristics of far-lateral lumbar-disc herniations are reviewed and the paramedian microsurgical approach is discussed.


1988 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan C. Grabel ◽  
Raphael Davis ◽  
Rosario Zappulla

✓ The case presented is of a patient with an intervertebral disc space cyst producing recurrent radicular pain following microdiscectomy in the lumbar region. Difficulties with the preoperative diagnosis of this and other recurrent radicular syndromes are discussed, and a review of the relevant literature is presented.


1982 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 515-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Hill ◽  
James M. Falko ◽  
Charles B. Wilson ◽  
William E. Hunt

✓ Hyperthyroidism due to thyrotrophin (TSH)-secreting pituitary tumors is rare. Four cases are described, with the features that allow preoperative diagnosis. In all the patients, thyroid hormone production was consistently elevated despite antithyroid therapy, and TSH levels were inappropriately elevated. All patients were treated with both surgery and irradiation. Each patient had recurrent tumor with suprasellar, intrasphenoidal, or intraorbital spread. The combination of a recurrent, aggressive tumor complicated by thyrotoxicosis makes this a complex and difficult surgical problem.


1992 ◽  
Vol 76 (6) ◽  
pp. 1012-1016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Feldman ◽  
Richard C. Karl

✓ Three patients who developed Ogilvie's syndrome following lumbar spinal surgery are described. Ogilvie's syndrome, also known as pseudo-obstruction of the colon, is characterized by massive cecal distention without mechanical obstruction. If this condition is not recognized and not promptly treated, it may be complicated by cecal perforation, a life-threatening hazard. The etiology, diagnosis, management, and potential relationship between lumbar spinal surgery and Ogilvie's syndrome are discussed.


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