Outcomes and adverse events for spinal synovial cysts surgical treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Spinal synovial cysts (SSCs) are a rare cause of nerve root and spinal cord compression. Surgical excision of SSCs remains the mainstay of treatment in the presence of unremitting symptoms or neurological deficits, but the choice of the surgical approach remains controversial. The goal of this study was to compare clinical outcomes and adverse events associated with traditional approaches (interlaminar or laminectomy/hemilaminectomy) and minimally invasive approaches (microsurgical tubular approaches or endoscopic approaches) for SSCs. METHODS: Studies reporting surgical management of SSCs were searched in three online databases (PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science). This meta-analysis was reported following the PRISMA Statement. It was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42021288992). The Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias in Nonrandomised Studies-of Interventions (ROBINS-I) was used to evaluate bias. Extracted research data were statistically analyzed using Stata 16 and SPSS statistics 25. RESULTS: A total of 22 related relevant studies were included. Meta-analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in dural tear, residual cyst, recurrence, reoperation, and operation time between minimally invasive approaches and traditional approaches (p > 0.05), but minimally invasive approaches had a good functional improvement (p = 0.004). Postoperative length of hospital stays and intraoperative bleeding in traditional approaches were also higher than in minimally invasive approaches (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Based on the available evidence, minimally invasive approaches may be better than traditional approaches in the treatment of SSCs. Minimally invasive approaches had the advantages of improving clinical satisfaction, with a similar complication rate to traditional approaches. Moreover, endoscopic and microsurgical tubular approaches had similar outcomes.

Spontaneous Resolution of Symptomatic Synovial Cysts of the Lumbar Spine: A Comprehensive Review with Two Illustrative Cases.

Although lumbar synovial cysts (LSCs) are frequently described in the literature, they are a relatively uncommon cause of low back and radicular leg pain. Furthermore, their spontaneous resolution is an even rarer event. The standard treatment of the lumbar synovial cyst is surgical excision. Spontaneous resolution in the literature is a sporadic event. In our experience, we have had two cases where the lumbar synovial cyst disappeared spontaneously. To date, only nine cases of spontaneous resolution of synovial cysts have been documented in the literature. In this discussion, we highlight a pathology that typically suggests surgical intervention, yet conservative treatment can be a viable alternative. We present two cases of large synovial cysts that were initially scheduled for surgery but ultimately resolved spontaneously without any treatment. While the spontaneous resolution of lumbar synovial cysts is extremely rare, conservative strategies are an option that should not be overlooked. Our cases contribute to the growing body of evidence on the spontaneous regression of symptomatic LSC, potentially enhancing the understanding of the disease's natural progression in the future.

Percutaneous Epidural Neuroplasty for Symptomatic Lumbar Juxtafacet Cysts.

Background and Objectives: The term "Juxtafacet cyst" refers to both synovial cysts and ganglion pseudocysts associated with the lumbar facet joint. As conservative treatment for the juxtafacet cyst has a minimal effect, complete excision through surgery is considered the first choice of treatment. In this study, we retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcomes of percutaneous epidural neuroplasty for symptomatic lumbar juxtafacet cysts. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of 34 patients with symptomatic juxtafacet cysts who visited a single institute from January 2010 to September 2023. Patients who received conservative treatment for at least 6 weeks but experienced no or insufficient effects were eligible for this study. After neuroplasty, a medical history check and neurological examination were performed during follow-up at 2 weeks, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months, and once a year thereafter. Results: The pain improved for all patients to a VAS score of 3 or less immediately after neuroplasty; however, four of those patients (11%) had pain that worsened eventually to the same level as before the procedure and required surgery. The results showed that, regardless of cyst size, in cases with severe stenosis of the spinal canal, the outcome of neuroplasty was poor and often eventually required surgery. The cyst size was not associated with the procedure results. In addition, if the cyst was present at the L4-L5 level, or if diabetes mellitus was present, the likelihood of future surgery was significant (p-value = 0.003). Conclusions: Percutaneous neuroplasty showed a better success rate than other non-surgical treatments. In addition, severe spinal stenosis (Schizas grade C or higher), L4-L5 level, or diabetes mellitus produced a high possibility of surgery due to recurrence.

Effectiveness and Safety of CT-Guided Facet Joint Cyst Rupture for Radicular Pain as First Choice Therapy: A Retrospective Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate effectiveness and safety of computed tomography (CT)-guided cyst rupture with intraarticular contrast-enhanced injection of steroid and local anesthetic as first choice therapy in patients with facet joint cyst-induced radicular pain. DESIGN: Retrospective data set analysis. SETTING: University hospital. SUBJECTS: One hundred and twenty-one patients suffering from radicular pain attributable to facet joint cysts were included. METHODS: The rate of patients without following surgery was assessed and defined as surrogate to measure effectiveness. Patients' characteristics, procedure-associated complications, technical aspects, and imaging findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were analyzed. A subgroup of 65 patients (54%) underwent telephone interview to assess pain relief and clinical outcome measured by Numeric Rating Scale and Oswestry Disability Index. Analyses between the groups with and without surgery were performed by Fisher exact test and two-sample unpaired t-test, respectively. RESULTS: The effectiveness of CT-guided cyst rupture was found to be 66.1%. Procedure-induced pain yielded in premature abort in two cases (1.7%). The detection of epidural contrast agent was statistically significantly associated with no need for surgery (P = .010). The cyst level was associated with the status of following surgery (P = .026), that is, cysts at lower lumbar spine were easier to rupture than cysts at other locations (cervical, thoracic, or upper lumbar spine). No further significant association was found. CONCLUSIONS: CT-guided cyst rupture as the first-choice therapy in patients with cyst-induced radicular pain was safe and effective. Successful cyst rupture was associated with no need for surgery. Cysts at lower lumbar spine revealed the highest success rate.

Effectiveness of Needle Aspiration versus Surgical Excision for Symptomatic Synovial Cysts of the Hip: A Single-Center, Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND This study was performed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of needle aspiration vs surgical excision for symptomatic synovial cysts of the hip. MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective study analyzed the clinical data of patients diagnosed with synovial cysts of the hip and treated in a single-center hospital from January 2012 to April 2022. Patients receiving needle aspiration were assigned to group A and those treated with surgery were assigned to group B. Demographic characteristics, etiology, symptoms, cyst location, postoperative complications and recurrence, Harris Hip Score (HHS) and Visual Analog Scale of Pain (VAS) scores before treatment and at 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment were recorded to assess hip function in both groups. RESULTS This study recruited 44 patients, with 18 patients in group A and 26 in group B, and the 2 arms were well-balanced in terms of baseline patient profiles. Needle aspiration resulted in significantly better pain mitigation for patients at 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after treatment vs surgical interventions (P<0.05). Needle joint aspiration resulted in significantly better function restoration of the hip joint than surgery at 3 months after treatment, as evidenced by the lower HHS score of 85.31±13.16 in group A vs 78.51±11.66 in group B (P=0.002). Surgery was associated with a significantly lower incidence of disease relapse (0.00%) vs needle aspiration (27.7%) (P=0.004). CONCLUSIONS Needle aspiration in the treatment of symptomatic synovial cysts of the hip causes less damage to the soft tissue and leads to faster recovery in the short term than surgical resection. Surgical resection has a lower recurrence rate and better long-term efficacy.

Facets of facet joint interventions.

Facet joint (FJ) disease is a common cause of axial low back pain with many minimally invasive image-guided treatment options. This article discusses fluoroscopic and CT-guided intraarticular FJ injections, medial branch (MB) radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and lumbar facet synovial cyst (LFSC) aspiration, rupture, or fenestration. Additionally, the article will highlight medial branch blocks (MBBs) utilized to diagnose facet-mediated pain and to predict outcomes to RFA.

Ganglion cyst of temporomandibular joint - A systematic review.

Ganglion cyst of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is an uncommon pathology with uncertain etiology. There is no consensus on their management. The current systematic review aimed to discuss the clinical and histopathological features of ganglion cysts of TMJ, to aid in appropriate treatment. A literature search was done and a total of 20 cases were retrieved from published databases such as PubMed, SCOPUS, and Google Scholar. The cyst presented with swelling in all the cases followed by pain (50 %) and trismus (35 %) as other common symptoms. Though CT and MRI proved helpful in determining the location of the cyst, a histopathological examination was essential in concluding its final diagnosis. It is a pseudocyst lined by dense fibro-connective tissue with myxoid tissue degeneration. Histologically, it is essential to distinguish them from the clinically and radiographically similar true cyst of TMJ, synovial cyst. The lining of ganglion cyst is devoid of epithelium and synovial cells. Surgical excision was found to be the treatment of choice with minimal recurrence (10 %) being reported.

Epidural bleeding secondary to a synovial cyst rupture: a case report and review of literature.

Hemorrhage into a juxtafacet cyst is rare and cyst rupture with hemorrhagic extension into the epidural space is even less commonly seen. We describe the case of a patient with a hemorrhagic synovial cyst with rupture associated to abundant bleeding in the epidural space. A 61-year-old man had a 5-month history of worsening low back pain radiating into the right leg with associated weakness and numbness. A magnetic resonance imaging scan showed the presence of a mild anterior spondylolisthesis of L5 on S1 with increased synovial fluid into both facet joints. A suspected synovial cyst of the right facet joint at level L5-S1, with signal characteristics consistent with hemorrhage was seen. Caudally, epidural blood was evident from S1 to S2 that involved spinal canal and right S1 and S2 foramens. These findings were confirmed at surgery.

Inter-dural spinal cyst with acute thoracic compressive myelopathy: anatomical aspects of spinal dura, case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Inter-dural juxta-facet spinal cysts occur rarely. They form as part of the degenerative spinal disease process and can be misdiagnosed as synovial cysts or ganglion cysts. We report the case of a thoracic inter-dural juxta-facet spinal cyst causing acute compressive thoracic myelopathy. METHODS: The data was collected retrospectively from patient records. The literature review was performed in PubMed. RESULTS: We report a case of symptomatic inter-dural juxta-facet thoracic spinal cyst. The literature review showed a variety of different spinal cysts including arachnoid cyst, discal cyst, ganglion cyst, epidermoid cyst and synovial cysts. Micro-instability and repeated microtrauma associated with degenerative changes are most likely contributors to its formation. Asymptomatic cysts can show spontaneous resolution. When symptomatic, they can be managed with surgical excision with good patient outcome. CONCLUSION: Inter-dural spinal cysts can be diagnosed and surgically excised to produce excellent post-operative outcome. High pre-operative index of suspicion of this diagnosis together with good understanding of the intraoperative anatomy are essential to avoid inadvertent dural breach.

Surgically managed symptomatic intraspinal lumbar facet synovial cyst outcome of surgical treatment with resection and instrumented posterolateral fusion, a case series.

BACKGROUND: There is controversy regarding the treatment of symptomatic synovial cysts, specifically, the need for a concomitant fusion when surgical resection of the synovial cysts is required. We present a retrospective review of a series of patients treated for symptomatic synovial cysts of the lumbar region during the last 20 years by a single surgeon, analyzing the current available literature. METHODS: Retrospective review. The same surgical technique was applied to all patients. Demographic, clinical, surgical data and synovial cyst recurrence rate were recorded. Postoperative results reported by patients were documented according to the McNab score. RESULTS: Sixty nine subjects, with mean follow-up of 7.4 years. 62% (43) were female, with a mean 57.8 years at the time of surgery. In 91.3% (63), the primary management was conservative for a minimum period of 3 months. All subjects underwent surgery due to the failure of conservative treatment. The segment most operated on was L4-L5 (63.77%). 91.3% (63) of the sample reported excellent and good and 6 subjects (8.6%) fair or poor results. There was no evidence of synovial cysts recurrence at the operated level. CONCLUSION: In symptomatic synovial cysts, it seems that conservative treatment is only effective in a limited number of patients and in the short term. Thus, the recommendation of a surgical indication should proceed as soon as the conservative management fails to result in significant symptom relief. Based on our results, we recommend, together with the resection of the cyst, the instrumentation of the segment to avoid its recurrence and the management of axial pain.

Effectiveness of Surgical Treatment with Complete Cyst Excision for Cystic Adventitial Disease of the Popliteal Artery.

BACKGROUND: Cystic adventitial disease is a rare, nonatherosclerotic disease that affects various arteries and veins, involving the formation of a mucinous cyst within the adventitia. The etiology of the cystic adventitial disease is currently unclear, with several hypotheses having been suggested. The purpose of this retrospective observational study was to evaluate the etiology of popliteal cystic adventitial disease based on imaging and surgical findings and to evaluate the efficacy of surgical treatment. METHODS: From April 2013 to January 2020, nine patients were diagnosed with the popliteal cystic adventitial disease and underwent surgical treatment. We performed complete resection of the cyst and the affected segment of the popliteal artery, followed by interposition with autologous reversed small saphenous vein or great saphenous vein. RESULTS: The resected adventitial cyst tissue was multilobular, filled with high-viscosity mucus. Pathologic examination of the surgical specimen revealed intramural cysts filled with gelatinous material located between the media and the adventitia, consistent with the clinical diagnosis of cystic adventitial disease. The median follow-up period was 27.5 months (range: 2-91 months). All patients underwent cyst excision with graft interposition, and the overall graft patency was 80.9 months (95% CI: 62.2-99.6 months). CONCLUSIONS: Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and surgical findings confirmed communication between the synovial cyst and arterial adventitia. It is recommended that priority be given to surgical resection and graft interposition because this can eliminate the disease's cause and reduce its recurrence.

[Treatment of neuropathy of inferior gluteal and pudendal nerves following periarticular synovial cyst of the hip joint. A case report and literature review]. / Rezul'tat lecheniya nevropatii nizhnego yagodichnogo i polovogo nervov, vyzvannoi periartikulyarnoi sinovial'noi kistoi tazobedrennogo sustava. Sluchai iz praktiki i obzor literatury.

The authors report a patient with neuropathy of inferior gluteal and pudendal nerves following periarticular synovial cyst of the hip joint. Effectiveness of treatment was analyzed. ENMG and MRI of pelvic soft tissues and hip joint were applied to confirm neuropathy of inferior gluteal and genital nerves. Periarticular synovial cyst of the hip joint followed by compression and ischemia of inferior gluteal and pudendal nerves was detected. In pre- and postoperative period, intensity of pain syndrome was assessed using visual-analogue scale. Neuropathic pain and quality of life were evaluated using the Leeds scale (LANSS) and NeuroQoL questionnaire, respectively. The patient underwent microsurgical neurolysis and decompression of inferior gluteal and pudendal nerves and resection of periarticular synovial cyst of the hip joint. Complete regression of pain syndrome and improvement in quality of life were observed after surgery. Compression of neurovascular structures with periarticular hip cysts followed by clinical and neurological disorders is an indication for microsurgical neurolysis and resection of cyst.

New classification of facet joint synovial cysts.

PURPOSE: Facet cysts develop due to degeneration of the zygapophyseal joints and can lead to radiculopathy and neurogenic claudication. Various surgical options are available for facet cyst excision. The aim was to facilitate surgical treatment of lumbar facet cysts based on a new classification. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed all patients of the last 10 years in whom a facet cyst was surgically removed (ipsilateral laminotomy, contralateral laminotomy, and segmental fusion). Several radiological parameters were analyzed and correlated with the patients' outcome (residual symptoms, perioperative complications, need for re-operation, need for secondary fusion, facet cyst recurrence). RESULTS: One hundred eleven patients (55 women; median age 64 years) could be identified. Thirty-three (48%) of 69 cases, for which MRI data were available, were classified as medial facet cyst (compressing the spinal canal), 6 facet cysts were localized intraforaminal (9%) and 30 cases (43%) mediolateral (combination of both). The contralateral approach had the lowest rate for revision surgery (7.5%, p = .038) and the lowest prevalence of residual complaints (7.5%, p = .109). A spondylolisthesis and a higher/steeper angle of the facet joints were associated with poorer patient outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Lateral facet joint cysts are best resected by a contralateral approach offering the best outcome while medial cysts are suitable for removal by an ipsilateral laminotomy. The approach of mediolateral cysts can be determined by the width of the lamina and the angle of the joint. Segmental fusion should be considered in cases with detected spondylolisthesis and/or steep facet joints.

Transforaminal Epiduroscopic Laser Ablation for Removal of a Postlaminectomy Synovial Cyst: A Case Report.

Background: Synovial cysts rarely occur after a laminectomy and are difficult to detect if there are no symptoms; however, they can cause lower back pain or symptoms of radiculopathy. Various methods are used to treat synovial cysts. Here, we will introduce the first case with treatment using the transforaminal epiduroscopic laser annuloplasty (TELA) system. Case report: A 64-year-old female patient visited the pain clinic with lower back pain and pain radiating from the left lower extremity. An MRI T2 image showed a synovial cyst of facet joint origin at the L4-L5 level; the patient had undergone a laminectomy 10 years ago at the same spinal level. The patient rated the pain an 8 on the numerical rating scale (NRS), and pain was reduced after epidural steroid injection, but symptoms recurred a month later. The cyst ablation was performed using the TELA system with a 1414 nm neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser, and after the procedure, pain decreased to 4 points immediately and was reduced to 2 points on the NRS after 1 week. Six months after the procedure, the pain level was measured on NRS 2 and cyst was not recurred in the additional MRI. Conclusion: We introduced the TELA system as a noninvasive therapy for treating synovial cysts. Ablation of cystic necks using a 1414 nm Nd:YAG laser could be a method to prevent cyst recurrence, but long-term follow-up and large scale control studies will be needed to verify the effectiveness of this method.

A rare case of cervical junction ligamentous cyst.

Ligamentous cyst is a cystic formation arising from degeneration of ligamentous structures all around the spinal cord. They can cause spinal cord compression, like synovial cyst. Unlike synovial cyst, there is no spinal instability in pathogenesis of ligamentous cyst. Differential diagnosis through pre-operative MRI is difficult and intraoperative findings plus histopathology are crucial to achieve a diagnosis. In this case report, we deal with a rare case of cervical junction ligamentous cyst. A 59-year-old Caucasian female was admitted in our ward with left-sided hemiparesis, cervical pain, and upper limb diffused paresthesias, due to an oval-shaped formation into ALL, of 13 mm in maximum diameter, with peripheral contrast enhancement. The patient underwent, under general anesthesia, a surgery through a posterolateral suboccipital approach which aimed to decompress the spinal cord and to drain the cyst with total removal of the compression by emptying the cyst and fulfilling it with muscle graft and glue. No posterior fixation was needed. After the surgery, symptoms improved and a post-operative MRI scan demonstrated the good result of the surgery.

An evidence-based etiology study of synovial cyst of knee cruciate ligament: a real or pseudo-cyst.

PURPOSE: Synovial cyst of knee cruciate ligament (SCKCL) is a rare condition but can cause severe knee pain. The understanding of its etiology is relatively poor. This current study aimed to elucidate the pathogenesis of SCKCL based on a series of histo- and cytopathological examination. METHODS: Ten SCKCL patients who underwent arthroscopy were enrolled, among five patients claimed past knee injury. Hematoxylin & eosin staining was conducted to the cyst wall tissue sections and Papanicolaou staining to the cyst fluid smear. Prussian blue staining was employed to both the wall section and fluid smear. Immumohistochemical staining for mesothelial cells (MC), epithelial cells (CK), vascular endothelial cells (CD31), monocytes (CD68), and hematogenous stem cells (CD117) were taken to elucidate the possible involvement of various cell types in the development of SCKCL. RESULTS: No erythrocyte was discovered in the fluid; however, Prussian blue stained hemosiderin particles were found in the cyst wall and fluid, suggesting past hemorrhage in all patients. Abundant lymphocytes and plasmocytes were observed in the cyst wall and fluid. In addition, the cyst lining was infiltrated with abundant CD68(+) monocytes while only few MC(+) mesothelial cells were sporadically observed in four samples. The cyst submucosa was also diffused with abundant CD68(+) monocytes and proliferated capillaries stained with CD31. CD117-positve hematogenous stem cells were sporadically observed in eight specimens. CONCLUSION: Our findings provided evidence that SCKCL is not a mature synovial cyst but rather an inflammatory pseudo-cyst. It may have resulted from past minor hemorrhage and intra-ligament chronic inflammation.

[Lumbar synovial cysts: literature review and original long-term results after microsurgical resection]. / Die lumbalen Synovialzysten: Literaturreview und originäre Langzeitergebnisse nach mikrochirurgischer Resektion.

BACKGROUND: Intraspinal lumbar vertebral joint cysts are an unusual cause of nerve root compression symptoms and do not differ clinically from the symptoms of a herniated disc. PATHOGENESIS: The cysts originate from the small vertebral joints and, depending on their size, compress the nerval structures. The affected vertebral joints typically show activated arthritic circumstances, which are associated with degenerative spondylolisthesis in about 50% of cases. In the majority of cases, MRT and CT can be used for diagnostic purposes. The exact etiology has not been fully clarified; various factors such as activated arthritis of the vertebral joints appear to be the major cause. TREATMENT: Treatment options include conservative, semi-invasive and surgical therapy. Conservative and semi-invasive treatment methods lead to temporary improvement. The result of surgical treatment, however, is excellent in a complete resection of synovial cysts. In In rare cases, an initial fusion is necessary in rare cases.

LUMBAR SPINE SYNOVIAL CYST: A CASE SERIES REPORT AND REVIEW OF SURGICAL STRATEGIES.

Lumbar spine synovial cysts are benign growths adjoining the facet joints that may induce low back pain, lumbar radiculopathy and neurological deficit. However, they are not well defined concerning their origin, cause and pathology, as well as available treatment strategies. The scope of different surgical procedures includes image-guided epidural steroid injection, direct cyst puncture by percutaneous epidural needle, spinal canal decompression and cyst resection, and spinal bone fusion with/without instrumentation. Hereby, we report institutional experience and discuss surgical strategies of lumbar spine synovial cyst treatment. Presenting symptoms, imaging findings and outcomes were retrospectively analyzed in 15 patients with lumbar spine synovial cyst, operated on during a one-year period. The leading presenting symptom was lumbar radicular pain, while the most commonly involved vertebral level was L5-S1. In a great majority of patients, a single-level interlaminectomy and cyst resection were performed. Most patients recovered without postoperative neurological and functional deficit, as well as surgery-related complications. No poor outcome was noticed in our series. Concerning our results and literature review, the optimal management for patients with symptomatic lumbar synovial cyst has to be highly personalized, which is essential to achieve a favorable outcome. Nonetheless, the best treatment strategy has yet to be affirmed.

Synovial cysts of the hip joint: a single-center experience.

BACKGROUND: Synovial cyst of the hip joint is a rare clinical condition in need of evidence-based guidelines for its diagnosis and management. Normally, synovial cyst of the hip joint requires no treatment, but when it intrudes into surrounding structures, various clinical symptoms appear. Because of its rarity, a symptomatic synovial cyst is often confounded with a tumor as a space-occupying lesion or with other diseases, depending on its various clinical presentations. Therefore, guidelines for the precise diagnosis and appropriate management for synovial cyst of the hip joint are required. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 7 cases of symptomatic synovial cyst of the hip joint, some of which showed lower limb edema due to mass effect. We compared physical exam findings on presentation, imaging findings, and size and location of the cyst. RESULTS: All cases were managed successfully with surgical excision. We found that, instead of the size of the cyst, the location of the cyst was an important contributor to venous compression. The recurrence rate was 0%, and some patients have significantly long follow-up of 2 years, 4 years, 6 years and 10 years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: For symptomatic synovial cyst of the hip joint, surgical excision can successfully resolve the symptoms without recurrence. This retrospective study discusses the clinical presentations, diagnostic approaches, and surgical treatment of symptomatic synovial cyst of the hip joint, hence shedding more light on the clinical management of this condition.

Arthrodesis for Treatment of Intra-Articular Synovial Cysts of the Hallux Interphalangeal Joint.

Synovial cysts are benign tissue masses that develop near joints and tendons as a result of fluid leakage. They can be difficult to eradicate, and adjacent tendon and joint surfaces can complicate their treatment. We retrospectively analyzed the data from 4 consecutive patients who had undergone hallux interphalangeal fusion from January 2009 to December 2010. Of the 4 patients, 3 were male and 1 was female, with a mean age of 55 ± 22 (range 26 to 79) years. These 4 patients had developed painful interphalangeal arthritis with radiographic cystic changes of 1 to 4 years' duration. All patients were treated at a single facility, with surgical fixation of the joint performed by insertion of a single 4.3-mm headless lag screw across the interphalangeal joint. A final postoperative follow-up examination was performed at 22 ± 7 (range 14 to 30) months postoperatively. The mean American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society hallux functional scores increased significantly from 70.8 ± 6.1 preoperatively to 90.5 ± 5.2 postoperatively (p < .01). No complications were observed, and complete interphalangeal joint fusion was observed at a mean of 9.2 ± 1.2 weeks. In conclusion, these preliminary data suggest that arthrodesis is an alternative effective treatment of symptomatic synovial cyst formation localized to the hallux interphalangeal joint.