Lumbar Synovial Cyst: A Case Report from the Neurosurgery Department of the Idrissa Pouye General Hospital (HOGIP) in Dakar

Abstract

<i>Introduction: </i>Spinal synovial cyst is a rare lesion in the general population, the frequency of symptomatic synovial cysts in the population is between 0.5 and 2.3%. They are more frequent in the lumbar region, leading to unilateral or bilateral lumboradiculalgia. Diagnosis is made on imaging and treatment involves percutaneous techniques or surgery. We report a case of lumbar synovial cyst treated surgically. <i>Observations: </i>A 54-year-old female patient, with a history of gonarthrosis, was seen in consultation for a right lumbosciatica of type L5 associated with a painful radicular claudication reducing the walking perimeter evolving for about 1 year. On admission, the patient was found to be overweight with a positive Lasègue sign on the right and pain on extension of the spine. The CT scan revealed a rounded lesion at the right L4-L5 level and conflicting with the ipsilateral L5 root at its emergence, continuous with the joint space. The indication for surgery was based on the severity of the radicular pain. The postoperative course was simple, with pain regression the day after surgery. <i>Conclusion: </i>The lumbar synovial cyst is a rare lesion most often manifested by radiculalgia. The diagnosis is made on imaging and surgical removal is the standard treatment.