Spontaneous Regression of a Symptomatic Lumbar Facet Synovial Cyst in One Month

Lumbar facet synovial cysts are common benign lesions arising from zygapophyseal joint capsule and are thought to result from chronic degeneration. They are usually asymptomatic. With the increasing use of magnetic resonance imaging in daily practice, the incidence of synovial cysts has also increased. While it is not very common, when they are symptomatic, they are generally treated by percutaneous needle puncture or surgical resection. There is still some controversy amongst clinicians on the management of symptomatic cysts. In this report we describe a rare case of 63-year-old male patient suffering from left leg pain caused by a L5-S1 left facet synovial cyst which regressed spontaneously in one month with no surgical intervention.