Tarlov Cyst

What is a Tarlov Cyst?

Tarlov cysts are spinal nerve root lesions filled with spinal fluid, found most often at the lower levels of the spine. Tarlov cysts are generally symptomless or they may cause a potentially serious neurological disease. Preliminary studies suggest that about 1% of sciatic or sciatic-like symptoms may be caused by Tarlov cysts. Other names for Tarlov and related spinal cysts are perineural or perineurial cyst, meningeal cyst, and arachnoid cyst. Tarlov cysts usually cause pain neurological dysfunction in the path of the affected nerve root if symptomatic. They may also cause bowel or bladder dysfunction..

How do you get a Tarlov Cyst?

A propensity for developing Tarlov cysts may be passed through the mother or father.

How are Tarlov Cysts diagnosed?

Tarlov cysts are most often found when the lumbar and sacral levels of the spine are scanned by MRI for other conditions.

How are Tarlov Cysts treated?

There is no one procedure that has been defined to work in Tarlov cysts. In fact invasive procedures, whether injections or operations, have to be the last option to be explored.

There are a variety of surgical techniques that have been employed for Tarlov cysts, but it is extremely rare for a surgeon to have operated on a substantial number of Tarlov cysts. These include simple decompression, tying off the cyst with decompression, deroofing the cyst, etc.
A minimally invasive procedure for Tarlov cysts involves aspiration of the cyst followed by injection of fibrin glue ("AFGI").