Intraspinal synovial cyst at the craniocervical junction.

A cystic lesion adjacent to the dens with compression of the lower portion of the medulla oblongata was found on MRI in a 75-year-old male patient with a 2-month history of occipital pain and gait disturbance. Clinically, the patient showed mild tetraparesis, signs of spinal ataxia and symmetrical hyperreflexia. Following subtotal removal of the cyst via left-sided suboccipital craniotomy and left-sided hemilaminectomy of C1 the lesion was classified as synovial cyst on histopathological examination.

Endoscopic percutaneous transforaminal treatment for herniated lumbar discs.

Background: The prevailing percutaneous treatment options for herniated non-contained lumbar discs have not reliably achieved the same good results as the conventional microsurgical techniques. In this study we evaluated clinical outcome and complication rate following endoscopic percutaneous transforaminal treatment of extruded or sequestrated herniated lumbar discs in 122 patients with a follow-up period of more than one year.

Method: Between October 1997 and December 2000, 86 male and 36 female patients with a median age of 55 years (range 18 to 89 years) underwent endoscopic treatment for non-contained herniated lumbar discs at our department.

Right hemispheric frontal lesions as a cause for anorexia nervosa report of three cases.

Object: Aetiology and pathogenesis of eating disorders is a matter of controversy. In some cases they can occur in association with tumours involving the temporal cortex, in temporal lobe epilepsy or in the advanced state of degenerative diseases involving temporal structures. We report about three patients with right frontal intracerebral lesions, one oligo-astrocytoma and two vascular malformations, associated with partial seizures and anorexia nervosa.

Symptomatic intraspinal synovial cysts of the lumbar spine: correlation of MR and surgical findings.

The purpose of the study was to determine the frequency of associated MR imaging findings in patients with symptomatic lumbar intraspinal synovial cysts, and to correlate MR with surgical findings. MR imaging studies of 18 patients with surgically and histopathologically proven lumbar intraspinal synovial cysts were retrospectively analyzed and correlated with surgical findings. The diameters of the synovial cysts ranged from 10 mm to 28 mm, with a mean of 16 mm.

Diagnosis and surgical management of intraspinal synovial cysts: report of 19 cases.

Objective: Synovial cysts of the vertebral facet joints are a source of nerve root compression. Different surgical procedures are in use, but no consensus has been formed so far as to which method should be used in synovial cysts. To clarify the role of surgical management, the efficacy of operative procedures and factors influencing the outcome in our own series of 19 patients treated between 1994 and 1998 were analysed.