Subaxial cervical synovial cyst presenting with myelopathy - Report of three cases

Synovial cysts occur infrequently in the spinal canal and are most often as sociated with degenerative facet joints. Despite the prevalence of degenera tive spinal disease, symptomatic synovial cysts are extremely uncommon. The re have been only two previously reported cases of subaxial degenerative sy novial cysts of the cervical spine in patients who presented with a clinica l picture of spinal cord compression. The authors report three additional p atients treated for degenerative cervical synovial cysts who presented with myelopathy. In all three patients the cyst was successful ly excised and a good clinical outcome achieved.