Lumbar spinal synovial cyst presenting with neurological deficit. A case report and review of the literature

A spinal synovial cyst is a rare condition. We reported a case of lumbar spinal synovial cyst presenting neurological deficit. A 78-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with the low back pain radiating to the left buttock. A myelography with computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed an extradural cystic lesion at the L5 and S1 level. At the time of surgery, a standard posterior approach was used to expose the posterior elements from L5 to S1. An en bloc laminectomy and total removal of the cyst was performed at the L5 to S1 level. The postoperative recovery was uneventful except for a slight pain in the left leg which persisted for some time.