Radicular pain caused by synovial cyst: an underdiagnosed entity in the elderly?

Abstract

Synovial cyst is a recognized but infrequent cause of nerve root or spinal canal compression. The authors undertook a review of 839 decompressive spinal procedures performed over a 5-year period. They found seven cases in which the symptoms were caused by synovial cysts. Six of these cases were in a subgroup of 80 patients who were older than 60 years of age, which represents 7.5% of the total for this age group. More than 200 cases of this abnormality have been reported in the world literature, but the incidence, prevalence, and natural history remain unknown. The authors propose that the incidence of synovial cysts may be more common than recognized in the elderly and suggest that preoperative diagnosis may help limit the extent of the surgical approach.