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Percutaneous Facet Screw Fixation in the Treatment of Symptomatic Recurrent Lumbar Facet Joint Cyst: A New Technique

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Abstract

We present a case of percutaneous treatment of symptomatic recurrent lumbar facet joint cyst resistant to all medical treatments including facet joint steroid injection. Percutaneous transfacet fixation was then performed at L4–L5 level with a cannulated screw using CT and fluoroscopy guidance. The procedure time was 30 min. Using the visual analog scale (VAS), pain decreased from 9.5, preoperatively, to 0 after the procedure. At 6-month follow-up, an asymptomatic cystic recurrence was observed, which further reduced at the 1-year follow-up. Pain remained stable (VAS at 0) during all follow-ups. CT- and fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous cyst rupture associated with facet screw fixation could be an alternative to surgery in patients suffering from a symptomatic recurrent lumbar facet joint cyst.

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Conflict of interest

Nicolas Amoretti, Giacomo Gallo, Anne-Sophie Bertrand, Robert L. Bard and Alexis Kelekis declare no conflict of interest.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice, Nice, France

    Nicolas Amoretti, Giacomo Gallo & Anne-Sophie Bertrand

  2. New York Medical College, New York, USA

    Robert L. Bard

  3. University General Hospital “ATTIKON”, Athens, Greece

    Alexis Kelekis

Authors
  1. Nicolas Amoretti
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  2. Giacomo Gallo
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  3. Anne-Sophie Bertrand
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  4. Robert L. Bard
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  5. Alexis Kelekis
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Correspondence to Nicolas Amoretti.

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Amoretti, N., Gallo, G., Bertrand, AS. et al. Percutaneous Facet Screw Fixation in the Treatment of Symptomatic Recurrent Lumbar Facet Joint Cyst: A New Technique. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 39, 127–131 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-015-1106-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00270-015-1106-3

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