Merkle Martin, Psaras Tsambika, Tatagiba Marcos, Danz Sören, Schmidt Fernando
Department of Neurosurgery, Eberhard-Karls University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2009 Mar 1;34(5):E199-201. doi: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e318198c64d.
Pre- and postoperative follow-up of a patient with progressive myelopathy caused by a thoracic synovial cyst developing within 6 months.
To present the natural history of a developing thoracic synovial cyst and to highlight this unusual case.
Thoracic synovial cysts are a rare finding and can produce myelopathy from spinal cord compression. The patient presented with progressing spasticity and sensory loss of both legs. Hereditary motor-sensory neuropathy was suspected and excluded by a molecular genetic examination. The cause of deterioration was finally found in an MRI of the thoracic spine revealing the rapid growth of a synovial cyst that had been detected in a previously performed MRI 6 months earlier.
Clinical and MRI details are presented documenting the natural history and development of a thoracic synovial cyst causing myelopathy.
The thoracic synovial cyst was successfully decompressed. Stabilization and fusion were not performed. The myelopathy resolved after surgery and the patient stays well in the 6-months follow-up.
Although thoracic synovial cysts are a rare finding, they have to be considered as a source for progressive myelopathy. If an MRI of the spine does not reveal any pathologies, it should be repeated even after a short period of time if the patient's condition deteriorates, continuously to detect newly developed findings.
对一名在6个月内出现胸椎滑膜囊肿导致进行性脊髓病的患者进行术前和术后随访。
呈现胸椎滑膜囊肿的自然病程，并突出这一罕见病例。
胸椎滑膜囊肿是一种罕见的发现，可因脊髓受压导致脊髓病。该患者出现双下肢进行性痉挛和感觉丧失。怀疑为遗传性运动感觉神经病，并通过分子遗传学检查排除。最终在胸椎MRI检查中发现病情恶化的原因，显示一个滑膜囊肿在6个月前的一次MRI检查中已被发现，但出现快速生长。
呈现临床和MRI细节，记录导致脊髓病的胸椎滑膜囊肿的自然病程和发展情况。
胸椎滑膜囊肿成功减压。未进行固定和融合手术。脊髓病在手术后得到缓解，患者在6个月的随访中情况良好。
尽管胸椎滑膜囊肿是一种罕见的发现，但必须将其视为进行性脊髓病的一个病因。如果脊柱MRI未发现任何病变，当患者病情恶化时，即使在短时间后也应再次进行检查，以便持续检测新出现的病变。
