{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,2]],"date-time":"2026-01-02T17:14:14Z","timestamp":1767374054971,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":16,"publisher":"Scientific Scholar","content-domain":{"domain":["surgicalneurologyint.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"\nBackground: <\/jats:title>\nMost patients with cervical synovial cysts (CSC) present with radiculopathy and\/or myelopathy. MR studies are the gold standard for diagnosing CSC, and typically show hypointense T1\/hyperintense T2 lesions, with occasional cyst-wall enhancement and additional cyst-wall calcification. Surgery typically warrants focal cyst resection\/ decompression with\/without an instrumented fusion. Here, we reviewed the diagnosis\/treatment of a 76-year-old male with a CSC, and C5-C6\/C6-C7 , and C7-T1 stenosis. We further provided a select review of the literature.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n\nMethods: <\/jats:title>\nFor 3 months, a 76-year-old-male experienced progressive bilateral\/arm pain (i.e., radiculopathy), and one week of increased right upper\/right lower extremity weakness with loss of balance (i.e., myelopathy). The MR with\/without contrast and non contrast CT studies documented moderate C5-C6\/C6-C7 stenosis and a large, likely synovial cyst filling the right-side of the spinal canal at the C7-T1 level (i.e, 12 mm x 9 mmx 19 mm).<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n\nResults: <\/jats:title>\nThe patient urgently underwent excision of the large right C7-T1 synovial cyst, along with a C6-T2 laminectomy for stenosis, and a C4-T4 instrumented fusion. At 4-postoperative months, the patient was neurologically intact. The repeated X-rays performed at 2, 6, and 12 weeks postoperatively documented maintained alignment, while the MR scan confirmed adequate cord decompression without myelomalacia.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n\nConclusion: <\/jats:title>\nA 76-year-old male with increased right-sided myeloradiculopathy, successfully underwent resection of a right-sided C7-T1 synovial cyst filling the spinal canal, a C6-T2 laminectomy for stenosis, and a C4-T4 instrumented fusion. Four months postoperatively, the patient was neurologically intact, with postoperative X-rays showing stable alignment. Further, the follow-up MR documented no residual cord\/root compression, or myelomalacia. Here, we have provided a review of this case and select literature regarding the diagnosis and surgery for CSC.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.25259\/sni_977_2025","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,17]],"date-time":"2025-10-17T08:39:00Z","timestamp":1760690340000},"page":"434","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.25259\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Diagnosis and surgery for cervical synovial cysts: A review"],"prefix":"10.25259","volume":"16","author":[{"given":"Nancy E.","family":"Epstein","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Professor of Clinical Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, State University of NY at Stony Brook, NY, c\/o Dr. Marc Agulnick 1122 Franklin Avenue Suite 106, Garden City, NY 11530, USA and Editor-in-Chief Surgical Neurology International"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kyla","family":"Agulnick","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Friends Academy High School, Locust Valley, NY, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marc A.","family":"Agulnick","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Assistant Clinical Professor of Orthopedics, NYU Langone Hospital Long Island, NY, USA, 1122 Franklin Avenue, Suite 106, Garden City, NY 11530, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"10894","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"10.25259\/SNI_977_2025\/ref-1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"813","DOI":"10.3109\/02688697.2014.913782","article-title":"Cervical synovial cyst","volume":"28","author":"Attwell","year":"2014","journal-title":"Br J Neurosurg"},{"key":"10.25259\/SNI_977_2025\/ref-2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"919","DOI":"10.3171\/2014.8.SPINE13897","article-title":"The role of spinal fusion in the treatment of cervical synovial cysts: A series of 17 cases and meta-analysis","volume":"21","author":"Bydon","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Neurosurg Spine"},{"key":"10.25259\/SNI_977_2025\/ref-3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"447","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuchi.2020.09.007","article-title":"Cervical myelopathy caused by ventrally located atlanto-axial synovial cysts: An open quest for the safest and most effective surgical management. Case series and systematic review of the literature","volume":"66","author":"Chibbaro","year":"2020","journal-title":"Neurochirurgie"},{"key":"10.25259\/SNI_977_2025\/ref-4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e34","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0034-1396758","article-title":"Cervical synovial cyst causing cervical radiculomyelopathy: Case report and review of the literature","volume":"5","author":"Corredor","year":"2015","journal-title":"Global Spine J"},{"key":"10.25259\/SNI_977_2025\/ref-5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"182","DOI":"10.1097\/00002517-199304000-00014","article-title":"Synovial cyst of the cervical spine","volume":"6","author":"Epstein","year":"1993","journal-title":"J Spinal Disord"},{"key":"10.25259\/SNI_977_2025\/ref-6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.25259\/SNI_95_2024","article-title":"Perspective: Operate on lumbar synovial cysts and avoid ineffective percutaneous 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