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Synovial Cysts of the Facet Joints

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Abstract

Spinal synovial cysts are benign cystic lesions attached to the facet joint (also named zygapophyseal joint) and containing clear/straw color fluid lined by a cuboid/pseudostratified membrane (Figs. 79.1 and 79.2). In the spine, these cysts are found ventral to the ligamentum flavum and they are also described in the literature as “ganglion cysts” or mostly “juxtafacet cysts”. Although the first case was described during an autopsy in 1880, the first clinical case was diagnosed by Kao et al. in 1968 in the United States. Sometimes, the cyst walls are calcified or the cyst fluid may contain gas or blood.

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Akhaddar, A. (2023). Synovial Cysts of the Facet Joints. In: Atlas of Sciatica. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-44984-0_79

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-44984-0_79

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-44983-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-44984-0

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