Establishing Microsurgery Skills Laboratories in Low- and Middle-income Countries with Integrated Remote Teaching: A Novel Approach.

Microneurosurgical techniques remain crucial for managing neurosurgical diseases, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where other advanced treatment modalities are not available. The global distribution of these techniques is uneven due to disparities in infrastructure, equipment, and training. Medical professionals from LMICs face barriers in reaching training centers in high-income countries, as well as in accessing microsurgical techniques. To address these disparities in microsurgery training, we offer free and accessible microsurgery training model by combining the donations of microsurgery kits with a comprehensive support system that includes live-streamed, offline, and in-person assistance within LMICs.

Early clinical outcomes and medical complications following long segment fusion for adult spinal deformity with and without three column osteotomy.

Background: Surgical treatment of adult spinal deformity (ASD) commonly involves long-segment fusion with or without three column osteotomies (3CO) to provide satisfactory correction of sagittal and coronal balance. While some clinical studies have implicated 3CO as a driver of high surgical complication rates, these prior investigations are limited by small sample size. Herein, we compare early outcomes and adverse events in patients undergoing long segment posterior spinal fusion for ASD with and without 3CO. Methods: A multicenter administrative database was queried for patients undergoing elective posterior spinal fusion for ASD. Patients were stratified based upon long segment fusion with and without 3CO. Preoperative patient demographics, procedural characteristics, hospitalization events, and postoperative complication rates were evaluated. Student's t-test and Fisher's exact test were utilized where appropriate to compare differences between the two groups for continuous and categorical variables. Results: 340 cases met the inclusion criteria, of which 156 involved 3CO. Patients who required 3CO had a lower rate of preoperative diabetes (22.3 % vs 10.3 %, p = 0.003), higher rates of non-home discharge (26.2 % vs 57.1 %, p < 0.001), longer operation time (245.62 ± 9.45 vs. 434.40 ± 11.65, p < 0.001), and longer length of stay (4.17 ± 0.66 vs. 7.76 ± 0.83, p < 0.001). In terms of complications, 3CO patients had higher rates of deep surgical site infection (0 % vs 3.2 %, p = 0.02), reintubation (0 % vs 4.5 %, p = 0.004), inability to wean off ventilator (0 % vs 2.6 %, p = 0.04), and perioperative blood transfusion (20.1 % vs 76.3 %, p < 0.001). Conclusions: In this retrospective analysis, posterior 3CO was frequently undertaken but associated with higher risk for postoperative adverse events following spinal deformity correction.

Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve transposition.

Lateral femoral cutaneous neuropathy, also known as meralgia paresthetica, is a pathology commonly encountered by neurosurgeons. Symptoms include numbness, tingling, and burning pain over the anterolateral thigh due to impingement on the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN). Surgical treatment has traditionally involved nerve release or neurectomy. LFCN transposition is a relatively new approach that can provide excellent symptomatic relief. In this video, the authors highlight key operative techniques to ensure easy identification, adequate decompression, and transposition of the nerve. Key steps include ultrasound-guided wire localization, superficial decompression, opening of the inguinal ligament, deep decompression, and medial transposition. The video can be found here: https://stream.cadmore.media/r10.3171/2022.10.FOCVID2289.

Microneurosurgical treatment of a small perimesencephalic pure pial arterial malformation: an under-recognized etiology of angiographically occult subarachnoid hemorrhage. Illustrative case.

BACKGROUND: Pial arterial malformations (PAMs) are rare vascular lesions consisting of dilated tortuous arteries without venous drainage. Current PAM understanding is limited by the lesion's rarity, limited anatomopathological studies, and frequent misclassifications. OBSERVATIONS: A 23-year-old male experienced two spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhages (SAHs) over 6 months with initially unremarkable diagnostic cerebral angiograms. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and angiography after the second SAH revealed a small perimesencephalic ovoid lesion within the left crural cistern, between the left superior and posterior cerebral arteries, appearing to be an exophytic cavernoma, a thrombosed aneurysm, or a hemorrhagic tumor. Microsurgical resection was achieved with a pterional craniotomy and anterior clinoidectomy. The resected lesion was characteristic of a pure PAM arising from superior cerebellar arterial branches. LESSONS: Small pure PAMs can be deceitfully dynamic lesions causing episodes of hemorrhage, complete thrombosis (angiographically occult), recanalization, and rehemorrhage. Small thrombosed vascular malformations or aneurysms should be included in differential diagnoses of angiographically occult SAH. MRI can be diagnostic, but the true angioarchitecture can only be elucidated with microneurosurgery. The only definitive cure is removal. The microneurosurgical strategy should account for worst-case scenarios, provide adequate skull base exposures, and include bypass revascularization options when thrombosed aneurysms are encountered.

Socioeconomic Disparities in Outcomes Following Conservative Treatment of Spinal Epidural Abscesses.

BACKGROUND: Primary spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is a rare but serious pathology that may result in severe neurologic injury. While certain literature has identified medical risk factors for failure of conservative therapy, no current evidence has been published regarding socioeconomic risk factors associated with failure of medical therapy. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of patients presenting with SEA from primary spinal infections. Patients presenting with magnetic resonance imaging evidence of SEA treated conservatively in the absence of neurologic deficits were included. Baseline clinical and socioeconomic characteristics were collected. Failure of medical management was defined as requiring surgical intervention despite maximal medical therapy due to the development of neurologic deficits or clinically significant deformity. RESULTS: A total of 150 patients were identified as presenting with magnetic resonance imaging evidence of SEAs without evidence of neurologic deficit. Of these patients, 42 required surgical intervention compared with 108 whose infection was successfully treated with medical therapy alone. Estimated average annual income was $64,746 vs $62,615 in those who successfully cleared their infection with medical management without requiring surgery, which was not statistically significant (P = 0.5). Insured patients were 5 times more likely to be successfully treated with antibiotics alone compared with uninsured patients (OR = 5.83, P = 0.008). Payer type, employment status, and incarceration status were not associated with failure of conservative therapy. CONCLUSIONS: In the treatment of primary SEA, absence of medical insurance is associated with failure of medical management. Payer status, employment status, average salary, and incarceration are not significant risk factors for failure of conservative management.

Primary spinal infections: A retrospective review of instrumentation use and graft selection.

Background: The use of instrumentation in the setting of primary spinal infections is controversial. While the instrumentation is often required in the presence of progressive deformity due to spinal osteomyelitis (SO), discitis (SD), or spinal epidural abscesses (SEA), many surgeons are concerned about instrumentation increasing the risk of infection recurrence and/or persistence warranting reoperation. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the need for reoperations for persistent infections in 119 patients who presented with primary spinal infections. They were treated with decompressions with/without non-instrumented fusion (70 patients) versus decompressions with instrumented fusions (49 patients). Results: The use of primary spinal instrumentation in the presence of infection (SO/SD/SEA) did not increase the requirement for repeated surgery due to recurrent/residual infection when compared to those undergoing decompressions with/without non-instrumented fusions. Of 49 patients who initially required instrumentation, 6 (12.5%) required reoperations for recurrent or residual infection. For the 71 undergoing index decompressions for infection with/without non-instrumented fusion, 9 (12.7%), or nearly an identical percentage, required reoperations for recurrent/residual infection (P = 0.93). Conclusion: The use of instrumentation in the treatment of primary spinal infections in a small sample of just 49 patients did not increase the risk for persistent infection warranting reoperations versus 70 patients undergoing initial decompressions with/without non-instrumented fusions.

Delayed spinal epidural hematoma following T1 chance fracture: An illustrative case and review of the literature.

Background: A Chance fracture is a traumatic fracture of the thoracic or lumbar spine that occurs secondary to a flexion-distraction injury. Although patients with chance fractures rarely present with neurologic deficits, a subset may become symptomatic from spinal epidural hematomas (SEH) warranting emergent decompressive surgery. Case Description: An 87-year-old female on anticoagulation presented with a T1 Chance fracture after a fall. She was originally neurologically intact, but became paraplegic over the next 10 h. When the cervical/thoracic magnetic resonance revealed a SEH markedly compressing the cord between the C7-T1 levels, she underwent an emergent decompression; she also had a C5-T4 instrumented fusion. Postoperatively, she regained lower limb function, but expired on postoperative day 5 due to respiratory complications likely attributed to the prolonged surgery for the spinal instrumentation. Conclusion: Delayed SEH rarely occur following spinal Chance fractures. Here, an 87-year-old female on anticoagulation developed the 10-h delayed onset of a SEH with paraplegia attributed to a T1 Chance fracture at the C7-T1 level. Although she regained neurological function following the emergent decompression, she expired 5 days later likely due to the extended operative time/blood loss from the C5-T4 fusion that could have been avoided.

Transient internuclear ophthalmoplegia following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion.

Background: Internuclear ophthalmoplegia (INO), characterized by impaired horizontal eye movement, occurred following an anterior cervical discectomy/fusions (ACDF). Case Description: A 48-year-old female with recurrent C5-6 foraminal stenosis presented with right C6 radiculopathy. She underwent a C5-6 ACDF, but postoperatively, complained of diplopia. Her examination revealed left-eye INO. Notably, the brain magnetic resonance imaging showed no significant radiological findings. The patient's diplopia and INO resolved spontaneously on postoperative day 2 and never recurred. Conclusion: Ocular complications following anterior cervical spine procedures are rare. Here, a 48-year-old female developed left eye INO following an ACDF that spontaneously resolved on postoperative day 2.

Supraclavius muscle observed during anterior scalenectomy for thoracic outlet syndrome: A report of two cases and review of the literature.

Background: Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a clinical diagnosis caused by compression of neurovascular structures in the thoracic outlet. There are a variety of structures that cause compression implicated in TOS. TOS patients frequently require surgical decompression. Various structural anomalies encountered during decompression have been reported in the literature. Case Description: We present two females (ages 42 and 45) that each underwent anterior scalenectomy for thoracic outlet decompression through a supraclavicular approach. A supraclavius muscle anomaly was observed in both patients. Analogous to the two reports previously described in the literature, the muscle inserted, along the medial superior undersurface of the clavicle and originated dorsally along the trapezius muscle. This is not to be confused with the subclavius posticus muscle, which originates from the first rib and inserts on the upper border of the scapula. Conclusion: These two cases represent just the third and fourth ever descriptions of a supraclavius muscle anomaly encountered during TOS surgery. Due to the wide variety of anatomical variations encountered during TOS surgery, it is not only crucial for continued reporting of such anatomical variations to be reported in the literature but equally important for clinicians that treat TOS to be aware of such variations.

External Review and Validation of a Spinal Epidural Abscess Predictive Score for Clinical Failure.

BACKGROUND: Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is a rare but serious pathology that may result in delayed neurologic injury despite treatment with antibiotic therapy or surgery. Given this, the development of predictive scores for risk stratification has value in clinical decision making; however, external validation is necessary to understand their generalizability and reliability. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of all patients presenting with SEA at a single institution. Patients were reviewed and graded according to the proposed SEA predictive score by Baum et al. Clinical failure was defined as documented laboratory or radiographic progression requiring surgical intervention, increased deformity requiring surgical intervention, or repeat surgical intervention if prior surgical intervention was undertaken as the initial treatment strategy. Brier score and receiver operating characteristic were used to calculate reliability. RESULTS: There were 224 patients presenting with primary spinal infections with associated SEA. Of these, 209 patients had no history of intravenous drug abuse. Clinical failure was demonstrated in 52 of 209 patients (24.9%). Antibiotic treatment alone compared with antibiotic therapy and surgical treatment on initial presentation was found to have a significantly greater chance of clinical failure (odds ratio = 3.0930, P = 0.01). The proposed epidural abscess prediction score did not correlate with clinical outcomes with a Brier score of 0.229 and receiver operating characteristic area under the curve of 0.5944. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed risk stratification scale for patients was not correlated with risk of clinical failure. Additionally, patients treated with antibiotics and surgical intervention on initial presentation had a significantly lower clinical failure rate.

Management of failed Chiari decompression and intrasyringeal hemorrhage in Noonan syndrome: illustrative cases.

BACKGROUND: Noonan syndrome (NS) is a rare genetic RASopathy with multisystem implications. The disorder is typically characterized by short stature, distinctive facial features, intellectual disability, developmental delay, chest deformity, and congenital heart disease. NS may be inherited or arise secondary to spontaneous mutations of genes in the Ras/mitogen activated protein kinase signaling pathways. OBSERVATIONS: Numerous case reports exist detailing the association between NS and Chiari I malformation (CM-I), although this relationship has not been fully established. Patients with NS who present with CM-I requiring operation have shown high rates reoperation for failed decompression. The authors reported two patients with NS, CM-I, and syringomyelia who had prior posterior fossa decompressions without syrinx improvement. Both patients received reoperation with successful outcomes. LESSONS: The authors highlighted the association between NS and CM-I and raised awareness that patients with these disorders may be at higher risk for failed posterior fossa decompression, necessitating reoperation.

Management of Craniocervical Instability in Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia Congenita: Assessment of Literature and Presentation of Two Cases.

Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SEDC) is a rare autosomal dominant skeletal dysplasia resulting in impairment of type II collagen function. Phenotypically, this results in various skeletal, ligamentous, ocular, and otologic abnormalities. Platyspondyly, scoliosis, ligamental laxity, and odontoid hypoplasia are common, resulting in myelopathy in a high number of patients due to atlantoaxial instability. Despite patients undergoing surgical fixation, complication rates such as nonunion have been reported to be high. Here within, we present two patients treated with occipitocervical fusion for atlantoaxial instability and early symptoms of progressive myelopathy. We additionally provide a detailed review of the literature to inform practitioners of the spinal manifestations and clinical considerations in SEDC.

Creation and validation of a predictive model for lumbar synovial cyst recurrence following decompression without fusion.

OBJECTIVE: Lumbar synovial cysts (LSCs) represent a relatively rare clinical pathology that may result in radiculopathy or neurogenic claudication. Because of the potential for recurrence of these cysts, some authors advocate for segmental fusion, as opposed to decompression alone, as a way to eliminate the risk for recurrence. The objective of this study was to create a predictive score for synovial cyst recurrence following decompression without fusion. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was completed of all patients evaluated at a single center over 20 years who were found to have symptomatic LSCs requiring intervention. Only patients undergoing decompression without fusion were included in the analysis. Following this review, baseline characteristics were obtained as well as radiological information. A machine learning method (risk-calibrated supersparse linear integer model) was then used to create a risk stratification score to identify patients at high risk for symptomatic cyst recurrence requiring repeat surgical intervention. Following the creation of this model, a fivefold cross-validation was completed. RESULTS: In total, 89 patients were identified who had complete radiological information. Of these 89 patients, 11 developed cyst recurrence requiring reoperation. The Lumbar Synovial Cyst Score was then created with an area under the curve of 0.83 and calibration error of 11.0%. Factors predictive of recurrence were found to include facet inclination angle > 45°, canal stenosis > 50%, T2 joint space hyperintensity, and presence of grade I spondylolisthesis. The probability of cyst recurrence ranged from < 5% for a score of 2 or less to > 88% for a score of 7. CONCLUSIONS: The Lumbar Synovial Cyst Score model is a quick and accurate tool to assist in clinical decision-making in the treatment of LSCs.

Development and Validation of a Predictive Model for Failure of Medical Management in Spinal Epidural Abscesses.

BACKGROUND: The optimal management of spinal epidural abscesses (SEA) secondary to primary spinal infections has demonstrated large variability in the literature. Although some literature suggests a high rate of neurological deterioration, others suggest failure of medical management is uncommon. OBJECTIVE: To develop a predictive model to evaluate the likelihood of failure of medical therapy in the setting of SEA. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of all patients presenting with SEA from primary spinal infections. Patients presenting with MRI evidence of SEA without neurological deficits were included. Failure of medical management was defined as requiring surgical intervention over 72 hours after the initiation of antibiotics. A machine learning method (Risk-Calibrated Supersparse Linear Integer Model) was used to create a risk stratification score to identify patients at high risk for requiring surgical intervention. RESULTS: In total, 159 patients were identified as presenting with MRI findings of SEA without evidence of neurological deficit. Of these patients, 50 required delayed surgery compared with 109 whose infection were successfully treated with surgical intervention. The Spinal Epidural Abscess Predictive Score was created using a machine learning model with an area under the curve of 0.8043 with calibration error of 14.7%. Factors included active malignancy, spondylodiscitis, organism identification, blood cultures, and sex. The probability of failure of medical management ranged from <5% for a score of 2 or less and >95% for a score of 7 or more. CONCLUSION: The Spinal Epidural Abscess Predictive Score model is a quick and accurate tool to assist in clinical decision-making in SEA.

Spinal fractures in the setting of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis conservatively treated via orthosis: illustrative cases.

BACKGROUND: Fractures in patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) are considered highly unstable injuries with high risk for neurological injury. Surgical intervention is the standard of care for these patients to avoid secondary spinal cord injuries. Despite this, certain cases may necessitate a nonoperative approach. Herein within, the authors describe three cases of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar fractures in the setting of DISH that were successfully treated via orthosis. OBSERVATIONS: The authors present three cases of fractures in patients with DISH. A 74-year-old female diagnosed with an acute fracture of a flowing anterior osteophyte at C6-C7 treated with a cervical orthosis. A 78-year-old male with an anterior fracture of the ankylosed T7-T8 vertebrae managed with a Jewett hyperextension brace. Finally, a 57-year-old male with an L1-L2 disc space fracture treated with a thoraco-lumbo-sacral orthosis. All patients recovered successfully. LESSONS: In certain cases, conservative treatment may be more appropriate for fractures in the setting of DISH as an alternative to the surgical standard of care. Most fractures in the setting of DISH are unstable, therefore it is necessary to manage these patients on a case-by-case basis.

Outcomes following conservative treatment of extension fractures in the setting of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis: is external orthosis alone a reasonable option?

OBJECTIVE: Extension fractures in the setting of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) represent highly unstable injuries. As a result, these fractures are most frequently treated with immediate surgical fixation to limit any potential risk of associated neurological injury. Although this represents the standard of care, patients with significant comorbidities, advanced age, or medical instability may not be surgical candidates. In this paper, the authors evaluated a series of patients with extension DISH fractures who were treated with orthosis alone and evaluated their outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective review from 2015 to 2022 was conducted at a large level 1 trauma center. Patients with extension-type DISH fractures without neurological deficits were identified. All patients were treated conservatively with orthosis alone. Baseline patient characteristics and adverse outcomes are reported. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were identified as presenting with extension fractures associated with DISH without neurological deficit. Of these, 22 patients had complete follow-up on final chart review. Of these 22 patients, 21 (95.5%) were treated successfully with external orthosis. One patient (4.5%) who was noncompliant with the brace had an acute spinal cord injury 1 month after presentation, requiring immediate surgical fixation and decompression. No other complications, including skin breakdown or pressure ulcers related to bracing, were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of extension-type DISH fractures may be a reasonable option for patients who are not candidates for safe surgical intervention; however, a risk of neurological injury secondary to delayed instability remains, particularly if patients are noncompliant with the bracing regimen. This risk should be balanced against the high complication rate and potential mortality associated with surgical intervention in this patient population.

Academics versus the Internet: Evaluating the readability of patient education materials for cerebrovascular conditions from major academic centers.

Background: Health literacy profoundly impacts patient outcomes as patients with decreased health literacy are less likely to understand their illness and adhere to treatment regimens. Patient education materials supplement in-person patient education, especially in cerebrovascular diseases that may require a multidisciplinary care team. This study aims to assess the readability of online patient education materials related to cerebrovascular diseases and to contrast the readability of those materials produced by academic institutions with those of non-academic sources. Methods: The readability of online patient education materials was analyzed using Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL) and Flesch Reading Ease (FRE) assessments. Readability of academic-based online patient education materials was compared to nonacademic online patient education materials. Online patient education materials from 20 academic institutions and five sources from the web were included in the analysis. Results: Overall median FKGL for neurovascular-related patient online education documents was 11.9 (95% CI: 10.8-13.1), reflecting that they are written at a 12th grade level, while the median FRE was 40.6 (95% CI: 34.1-47.1), indicating a rating as "difficult" to read. When comparing academic-based online patient education materials to other internet sources, there was no significant difference in FRE and FKGL scores (P = 0.63 and P = 0.26 for FKGL and FRE, respectively). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that online patient education materials pertaining to cerebrovascular diseases from major academic centers and other nonacademic internet sites are difficult to understand and written at levels significantly higher than that recommended by national agencies. Both academic and nonacademic sources reflect this finding equally. Further study and implementation are warranted to investigate how improvements can be made.

Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor of the Cerebellum in an Adult: Case Report and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) is a rare tumor that is most frequently encountered in the pediatric patient population. AT/RT accounts for approximately 1%-2% of all pediatric central nervous system tumors and roughly 10%-20% of tumors in patients younger than 3 years of age. While AT/RT has been encountered in the adult population, the vast majority of the cases reported occur in the supratentorial space. In the existing literature, only 3 adult cases that arise from the cerebellum have ever been reported. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 38-year-old female presented with 6 months of worsening nausea, emesis, vertigo, diplopia, and coordination difficulty. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a T1 avidly contrast-enhancing mass, composed of both cystic and solid areas, extending from the cerebellum into the fourth ventricle. Following a gross total resection, surgical pathology was consistent with AT/RT, with tumor cell loss of integrase interactor-1 (INI-1) observed via immunohistochemical staining. CONCLUSIONS: This case represents just the fourth ever reported case of AT/RT arising from the cerebellum in an adult and the oldest reported age to date of a cerebellar AT/RT occurring in a female. Due to the paucity of reported adult AT/RT cases, little is known about adults with AT/RT. Further reports will function to improve the general understanding of AT/RT in the adult population.

Comparison of Decompression versus Decompression and Fusion for Lumbar Synovial Cysts and Predictive Factors for Cyst Recurrence.

BACKGROUND: The management of lumbar synovial cysts (LSC) has been a controversial topic for many years. Whereas many authors label LSC as markers of instability and thus necessitating fusion, others suggest that decompression alone without fusion is a viable initial treatment option. Our objective was to clarify outcomes in patients undergoing decompression alone and decompression with fusion for symptomatic LSC and identify factors for cyst recurrence. METHODS: A retrospective case series was performed of all patients undergoing initial treatment for LSC at a single institution ranging from January 1999 to February 2020. Surgical treatment included either decompression with cystectomy or decompression with cystectomy and a fusion procedure. Preoperative symptoms were collected and included radicular pain, motor deficits, sensory deficits, or bowel/bladder changes. Radiographic data were calculated individually and confirmed with radiology reports. Categorical variables were assessed using χ2 analysis and continuous variables were assessed with the 2-sample t test. RESULTS: In total, 161 patients were identified as presenting with symptomatic LSC. Of these, 104 patients underwent decompression alone versus 57 who underwent decompression and fusion. In the decompression group 11 patients required reoperation at the level of the cyst compared with none in those undergoing fusion as their initial procedure (10.5% vs. 0%, P = 0.012). On subgroup analysis of those undergoing decompression as their initial procedure, patients with cyst recurrence demonstrated a statistically significant greater coronal facet inclination angle compared with those without cyst recurrence (52.4° vs. 40.6°, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Decompression alone is a reasonable choice for the initial management of LSC, although it does carry a significant risk of same-level reoperation due to cyst recurrence and spondylolisthesis. Preoperative coronal facet inclination angle may be a useful measurement in predicting cyst recurrence following decompression.

Classification and Reliability of Lumbar Facet Cysts Grading Scales.

BACKGROUND: The presence of symptomatic lumbar facet cysts has been associated with segmental instability. Given this association, decompression versus decompression with fusion is a frequently debated topic. Multiple grading scales have been devised to identify patients at high risk for development of cyst recurrence; however, there exists no external evaluation of these scales. METHODS: A retrospective review of 54 patients undergoing initial treatment for lumbar synovial cysts at a single institution over the past 12 years was conducted. Surgical treatment consisted of decompression with cystectomy without fusion. Patients were assessed and classified according to the NeuroSpine Surgery Research Group (NSURG) and Rosenstock Classification systems. Five neurosurgeons reviewed the preoperative magnetic resonance images, and results were classified. Interrater reliability was assessed using both Gwet's AC1 coefficient and Krippendorff's alpha. A 1-way analysis of variance was used to evaluate predictive ability of both classification systems. RESULTS: In total, of the 54 patients who underwent decompression, 7 had cyst recurrence. Overall cyst recurrence was most common in NSURG grade 2 cysts (3/12, 25%) followed by grade 1 cysts (4/27, 14.8%). Of the NSURG grade 3 and 4 patients, none had cyst recurrence. In the Rosenstock grades the most common recurrence was in grade 3 cysts (1/4, 25%) followed by grade 1 cysts (5/26, 19.2%). Interrater reliability demonstrated good reproducibility on Gwet's AC1 and Krippendorff's alpha on both grading scales. Neither score was predictive of cyst recurrence (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The Rosenstock and NeuroSpine scores demonstrate good overall interrater reliability but are inconsistent in their ability to predict recurrence of lumbar facet cysts.