Neurosurg Focus (Suppl 2) 37:Video 4, 2014
Thoracic arachnoid cyst resection Harel Deutsch, M.D. Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois Arachnoid cysts in the spinal cord may be asymptomatic. In some cases arachnoid cysts may exert mass effect on the thoracic spinal cord and lead to pain and myelopathy symptoms. Arachnoid cysts may be difficult to visualize on an MRI scan because the thin walled arachnoid may not be visible. Focal displacement of the thoracic spinal cord and effacement of the spinal cord with apparent widening of the cerebrospinal fluid space is seen. This video demonstrates surgical techniques to remove a dorsal arachnoid cyst causing spinal cord compression. The surgery involves a thoracic laminectomy. The dura is opened sharply with care taken not to open the arachnoid so that the cyst can be well visualized. The thickened arachnoid walls of the cyst are removed to alleviate the compression caused by the arachnoid cyst. The video can be found here: http://youtu.be/pgUrl9xvsD0. (http://thejns.org/doi/abs/10.3171/2014.V3.FOCUS14262)
Key Words • thoracic spine • arachnoid cyst • myelopathy • video
Manuscript submitted May 23, 2014. Accepted July 18, 2014. Please include this information when citing this paper: DOI: 10.3171/2014.V3.FOCUS14262. Address correspondence to: Harel Deutsch, M.D., Rush University Medical Center, 1725 W. Harrison Street Suite 855, Chicago, IL 60612. email: [email protected]
Neurosurg Focus / Volume 37 (Suppl 2) / September 2014
1
Thoracic arachnoid cyst resection Harel Deutsch, M.D. Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois Arachnoid cysts in the spinal cord may be asymptomatic. In some cases arachnoid cysts may exert mass effect on the thoracic spinal cord and lead to pain and myelopathy symptoms. Arachnoid cysts may be difficult to visualize on an MRI scan because the thin walled arachnoid may not be visible. Focal displacement of the thoracic spinal cord and effacement of the spinal cord with apparent widening of the cerebrospinal fluid space is seen. This video demonstrates surgical techniques to remove a dorsal arachnoid cyst causing spinal cord compression. The surgery involves a thoracic laminectomy. The dura is opened sharply with care taken not to open the arachnoid so that the cyst can be well visualized. The thickened arachnoid walls of the cyst are removed to alleviate the compression caused by the arachnoid cyst. The video can be found here: http://youtu.be/pgUrl9xvsD0. (http://thejns.org/doi/abs/10.3171/2014.V3.FOCUS14262)
Key Words • thoracic spine • arachnoid cyst • myelopathy • video
Manuscript submitted May 23, 2014. Accepted July 18, 2014. Please include this information when citing this paper: DOI: 10.3171/2014.V3.FOCUS14262. Address correspondence to: Harel Deutsch, M.D., Rush University Medical Center, 1725 W. Harrison Street Suite 855, Chicago, IL 60612. email: [email protected]
Neurosurg Focus / Volume 37 (Suppl 2) / September 2014
1
