Case report of lumbar discal cyst

The authors describe a rare case of lumbar discal cyst which produced manifestations similar o lumbar disc herniation. A 33-year-old man, who had had a crick in the back 3 months previously, suffered from severe low back and right lower-extremity pain. The neurological examination showed the L5 radiculopathy through the positive straight leg-raising test, no motor weakness nor sensory disturbance with normal reflexes. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated an oval shaped extradural lesion with a low signal intensity on T1-weighted images and a high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. Additionally, the surrounding rim of the cyst was enhanced with the addition of Gd-DTPA. As we diagnosed a lumbar discal cyst with severe symptoms, the patient received emergent surgery. The symptom disappeared immediately after surgery. This case implies that early surgery for discal cyst may be an effective means to obtain release from symptoms.