Surgical Results of Yellow Ligament Cysts of Lumbar Spine

DOI 7 References
  • Miyoshi Shinji
    Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Tominaga Kusano Hospital, Niigata, Japan
  • Sato Sakae
    Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Tominaga Kusano Hospital, Niigata, Japan
  • Nohara Hirokazu
    Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Department of Neuroscience, University of the Ryukyu, Okinawa, Japan
  • Kanaya Fuminori
    Division of Orthopedic Surgery, Department of Neuroscience, University of the Ryukyu, Okinawa, Japan

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  • 黄色靭帯嚢腫手術例の検討

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Abstract

We present five male patients with six yellow ligament cysts (mean age: 61.5 years). All patients complained of leg pain, and four had intermittent claudication. Their mean preoperative lumbar score of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association was 13. MRI revealed that the cyst was located posterior to the dura, and had low intensity in T1-WI and a high-intensity area surrounded by a low-intensity ring in T2-WI. The cyst was resected in all patients. Modified Loves procedure with fenestration was performed in three patients and semicircumferential decompression and en-block laminectomy was performed in each patient because of combined spinal canal stenosis. One patient developed another cyst at the left side after one year of removal of the right cyst. There was an elliptical cyst inside the yellow ligament, and pathological examination revealed necrotic tissue surrounded with a fibrous wall. Postoperative follow-up ranged from 3 to 37 months. Leg pain was relieved in all patients. The lumbar score improved by 25 with a mean improvement of 79%.<BR>Favorable results may be expected after resection and decompression of the yellow ligament cyst of the lumbar spine, however, further follow-up is needed since new cysts may occur at the opposite site.

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