Symptomatic intraosseous synovial cyst in the cervical spine: a case report.

STUDY DESIGN: A case report and review of the literature are presented. OBJECTIVE: To describe an unusual location for a cervical synovial cyst and to review characteristic presentations and findings of synovial cysts in the cervical spine. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Synovial cysts in the cervical spine are rare. To date, only 27 have been reported in the literature. None, however, has been reported as cysts involving or eroding into the vertebral body. METHODS: A single case of an intraosseous synovial cyst in the cervical spine is presented with a review of the literature. RESULTS: History, examination, and radiographic evaluation suggested an intraosseous cystic lesion, which pathologically was determined to be synovial in origin. CONCLUSIONS: We present a case of a cervical synovial cyst in a previously undescribed intraosseous location in the cervical spine, treated successfully with surgical excision.