Cervical intraspinal extradural ganglion cyst: a case report and review of literature

Intraspinal extradural ganglion cysts rarely occur in the cervical spine, and their etiology is unknown. A 77-year-old female complaining of right upper extremity weakness presented with a cystic mass located in the spinal canal of the right C3-4 facet joint. A C3-4 right hemilaminectomy and excision of the cysts were performed. The cyst contained a translucent viscous material and was easily decompressed. No communication between the cyst and facet joints was found in the surgical field. The neurologic symptoms improved rapidly after surgery. The histology examination showed that the cystic wall was composed of dense fibrous tissue without a synovial cell lining concordant with a ganglion cyst. This report describes a rare case of a ganglion cyst of the cervical spine arising at the C3-4. This case highlights the need to consider a ganglion cyst as one of the causes of cervical radiculo-myelopathy.