Surgical management of symptomatic Tarlov cysts: cyst fenestration and nerve root imbrication—a single institutional experience
Tarlov cyst disease is a collection of cerebrospinal fluid between the endoneurium and
perineurium of spinal, usually sacral, nerve roots. These cysts can become symptomatic in 20% of patients,
causing lower back pain, radiculopathy, bladder and bowel dysfunction necessitating medical or surgical
intervention. Different surgical and non-surgical modalities have been described for the treatment of
symptomatic Tarlov cysts. However, there has been no published study that examined types of surgical
techniques side by side. Our study presents a preliminary experience in the surgical management of
symptomatic Tarlov cysts using two surgical techniques: cyst fenestration and nerve root imbrication.