Faheem A. Sandhu

Minimally Invasive Surgical Treatment of Lumbar Synovial Cysts

OBJECTIVESynovial cysts are a rare cause of lumbar radiculopathy and back pain. Surgical treatment is directed at complete excision of the cyst. We used minimally invasive surgical techniques for a series of patients, to assess the effectiveness of this approach for resection of synovial cysts. METHODSSeventeen patients (10 female and 7 male patients) with presumed synovial cysts, as indicated on magnetic resonance imaging scans, underwent surgical resection with the 18-mm METRx tubular retractor system (Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Memphis, TN). A unilateral approach was used, with either an operating microscope (13 cases) or a magnifying endoscope (4 cases), depending on the preference of the surgeon. Outcomes were reported by using modified MacNab criteria. RESULTSThe average patient age was 64 years (range, 46–82 yr). The L4–L5 level was most commonly affected (82% of cases). Grade 1 spondylolisthesis at the level harboring the synovial cyst was observed for 47% of the patients; all cases of spondylolisthesis involved the L4–L5 level. The mean operative time was 97 minutes, and the average blood loss was 35 ml. Excellent or good results were achieved for 94% of the patients. A dural tear that did not violate the arachnoid membrane occurred during surgery for one patient but did not require further treatment. CONCLUSIONSynovial cysts can be effectively treated with a tubular retractor system in conjunction with an endoscope or microscope. Use of the tubular retractor minimizes soft-tissue trauma, incision length, blood loss, and disruption of ligamentous and bony structures. This may be particularly significant when synovial cysts are associated with spondylolisthesis, minimizing the risk of progressive instability and the need for fusion.

Minimally invasive approach for far lateral disc herniations: results from 20 patients.

BACKGROUNDnFar lateral lumbar disc herniations, while infrequent, are a substantial cause of morbidity causing painful radicular syndromes often accompanied by a motor or sensory deficit. Surgical treatment can be challenging technically because of unfamiliar lateral anatomy and the importance of adjacent osseous structures, notably the pars interarticularis and facet joint.nnnMETHODnThe traditional approach for a far lateral lumbar disc herniation involves a midline incision, wide lateral subperiosteal exposure and partial removal of these structures with the potential for iatrogenic instability. A paramedian approach to the lateral compartment of the disc space is advantageous because it directly targets the pathology. The use of recently developed minimally invasive retractor systems decreases tissue dissection and blood loss and improves postoperative recovery.nnnRESULTS AND DISCUSSIONnWe present a series of 20 patients who underwent far lateral discectomy using a minimally invasive muscle splitting approach.