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. 2019 Dec;5(4):496-503.
doi: 10.21037/jss.2019.11.11.

Surgical management of symptomatic Tarlov cysts: cyst fenestration and nerve root imbrication-a single institutional experience

Khalid Medani  1 , Shokry Lawandy  1 , Rudolph Schrot  2   3 , Jose N Binongo  4 , Kee D Kim  1 , Ripul R Panchal  1   3
Affiliations

Surgical management of symptomatic Tarlov cysts: cyst fenestration and nerve root imbrication-a single institutional experience

Khalid Medani et al. J Spine Surg. 2019 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Tarlov cyst disease is a collection of cerebrospinal fluid between the endoneurium and perineurium of spinal, usually sacral, nerve roots. These cysts can become symptomatic in 20% of patients, causing lower back pain, radiculopathy, bladder and bowel dysfunction necessitating medical or surgical intervention. Different surgical and non-surgical modalities have been described for the treatment of symptomatic Tarlov cysts. However, there has been no published study that examined types of surgical techniques side by side. Our study presents a preliminary experience in the surgical management of symptomatic Tarlov cysts using two surgical techniques: cyst fenestration and nerve root imbrication.

Methods: Retrospective chart review and analysis was done for all patients who underwent surgical intervention for symptomatic Tarlov cyst(s) in the period 2007-2013. Operative reports, preoperative and postoperative clinic visit reports were reviewed. The surgical techniques of cyst fenestration and nerve root imbrication were each described in terms of intraoperative parameters, hospital course and outcome. Modified MacNab criteria were used for evaluation of the final clinical outcome.

Results: Thirty-six surgical patients were identified. Three had repeat surgery (total of 39 operations). The median age was 51 years (range, 26-84 years). Eighty-six percent were females. The presenting symptoms were low back pain (94%), sensory radiculopathy (69%), bladder and bowel dysfunction (61%), sexual dysfunction (17%) and motor dysfunction (8%). Cyst fenestration was performed in 12 patients (31%) and nerve root imbrication was done in 27 (69%). All patients in the fenestration group but only 67% in the imbrication group had fibrin glue injection into the cyst or around the reconstructed nerve root. The overall surgery-related complication rate was 28%. The complication rate was 5/12 (42%) in the fenestration group and 6/27 (22%) in the imbrication group. At the time of the last clinic visit, improved clinical outcome was noted in 9/11 (82%) and 20/25 (80%) in the fenestration and the imbrication group, respectively.

Conclusions: Cyst fenestration and nerve root imbrication are both surgical techniques to treat symptomatic Tarlov cyst(s), and both can result in clinical improvement.

Keywords: Tarlov cyst; cyst fenestration; meningeal cyst; nerve root imbrication; surgical management.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Sagittal (A) and axial (B) T2-weighted MR images demonstrating preoperative sacral Tarlov cysts. MR, magnetic resonance.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Sagittal (A) and axial (B) T2-weighted MR images performed nine years after undergoing cyst fenestration illustrating resolution of the Tarlov cysts. MR, magnetic resonance.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Intraoperative illustration of multiple sacral Tarlov cysts.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Intraoperative illustration of nerve root imbrication for multiple sacral Tarlov cysts.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Clinical outcome during the last clinic visit between cyst fenestration and nerve root imbrication.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Rates of Improvement during the last clinic visit between cyst fenestration and nerve root imbrication.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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