The spinal cord is bathed in a nourishing liquid buffer known as cerebrospinal fluid. Sometimes, through mechanisms that remain unclear, this fluid will enter the spinal cord itself and form a cyst.
These cysts, called syringomyelia, can remain asymptomatic, but sometimes they cause pain. Treatment options for syringomyelia include injections and surgery. Patients who are considering spinal surgery to remove a cyst should be educated as to the possible risks of such a procedure.
Infection
Infection is a common surgical risk, as any incision exposes the body to the possibility of invasion by pathogens, but the University of Maryland Spine Center states that infections occur in less than 1 percent of surgeries involving the spine. Patients should monitor their surgical wounds throughout the healing process, noting any redness, heat, swelling or oozing that may signal the presence of an infection.
General anesthesia comes with inherent risks that can occur during any type of surgery, though the journal "Orthopedics Rehabilitation Traumatology" explains that complications due to the use of anesthesia can often be linked to the type of surgery and the anesthesiological methods used.
Problems can arise due to allergic reactions to the drugs used or the existence of other underlying medical conditions while under anesthesia.
Dural Tearing
A membrane known as the dura protects the spinal cord. Dr. Peter Ullrich, a neurosurgeon with NeuroSpine Center of Wisconsin, explains that microdiscectomy, a procedure sometimes used to treat cysts caused by disc herniation, can cause a tear in the dura in up to two percent of surgeries. Fortunately, such a tear does not impede the success rate of the surgery, but may necessitate a period of recumbent rest for a number of days in order for the tear to heal.
Nerve Damage
As with any surgery that occurs in such close proximity to the intricate structures of the nervous system, there is the chance that nerves can be damaged during surgery to remove a spinal cyst. The University of Maryland's Spine Center explains that damage to the nerves of the spinal cord can cause muscle paralysis.
Recurrence of the Cyst
Sometimes a cyst can regrow and its symptoms can return, even after surgery. MayoClinic.com explains that the cerebrospinal fluid may fail to flow normally after surgery and the syrinx, or cyst may persist. It is also possible for other cysts to form following spinal surgery.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Syringomyelia: Treatments and Drugs
- Spine-Health: Treatment Options for Synovial Cysts
- University of Maryland Medical Center: A Patient's Guide to Complications of Spine Surgery
- "Orthopedics Rehabilitation Traumatology"; Anesthetic Complications in Spinal Surgery; Golachowski M, Mayzner-Zawadzka E, Michalski P; June 2005
