J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2011 Jul;50(1):54-56. 10.3340/jkns.2011.50.1.54.

Foraminal Synovial Cyst Associated with Ankylosing Spondylitis

• Kim HS
• Ju CI
• Kim SW

• KMID: 2066854
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3340/jkns.2011.50.1.54

Abstract

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is frequently associated with inflammatory lesions of the spine and continuous fatigue stress fractures; however, an association with an intraspinal synovial cyst has not been previously reported. A 55-year-old man with a five year history of AS who presented with back pain and a right radiculopathy was admitted to the hospital. Five years previously, he underwent a percutaneous vertebroplasty for an osteoporotic L1 compression fracture, and was diagnosed with AS at that time. Plain radiographs showed aggravated kyphosis and a stress fracture through the ossified posterior element, below the prior vertebroplasty. Magnetic resonance images revealed a right foraminal cystic lesion at the L2-L3 level with effacement of the nerve root. A 1.6 cm cystic lesion that appeared to arise from the L2-L3 facet joint without direct communication was excised from the L2-L3 foramen. Pathological examination confirmed synovial cyst. The patient's symptoms resolved immediately after surgery except for a mild dysesthesia of the right leg. We report herein a rare case of foraminal synovial cyst associated with AS accompanying posterior element fracture with a review of literature.

Keyword

Synovial cyst; Ankylosing spondylitis

MeSH Terms

Back Pain
Fatigue
Fractures, Compression
Fractures, Stress
Humans
Kyphosis
Leg
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Middle Aged
Paresthesia
Radiculopathy
Spine
Spondylitis, Ankylosing
Synovial Cyst
Vertebroplasty
Zygapophyseal Joint