Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Approach to a Facet Joint Synovial Cyst: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Abstract

Lumbar facet joint synovial cysts are rare lesions that may cause radiculopathy, usually it does not respond well to clinical management, oftentimes requiring surgical intervention. The percutaneous endoscopic approach may be an alternative that avoids the risk of instability. On this paper we describe the percutaneous endoscopic approach to a lumbar facet joint synovial cyst in a 78-years-old, female patient. 78-years-old female with a history of rheumatoid arthritis, which caused numerous deformities in peripheral joints. She was complaining of progressive neurogenic claudication and right-side sciatica for 6 months and a limited walking ability, the MRI revealed a 12 mm L4L5 right facet joint synovial cyst. The natural history of lumbar facet joint cysts is not completely understood. It has been linked in previous studies to degenerative spine diseases, such as spondylolistheses and scoliosis. There are rare publications or studies confirming the superiority of the endoscopic approach to these cysts due to its rarity. The percutaneous endoscopic approach may be an alternative. The percutaneous endoscopic approach to the lumbar. facet joins cysts is a viable approach