A Tarlov cyst is a dilation of the nerve root sheath or outer covering of the nerve. Cerebral spinal fluid gets trapped inside the sheath and forms a cyst. The fluid in the cyst can put pressure on the nerve inside and on the adjacent nerve roots and cause debilitating symptoms. They can occur anywhere along the spine where there are nerve roots. They are most prevalent in the sacrum or base of the spine. The cyst is the nerve and therefore cannot be cut out.
Tarlov/perineural cysts are are cysts filled with cerebrospinal fluid that can develop around the spinal nerves, often in the sacral regions of the spine (95% of cases). In this exclusive interview with Rare Disease Report. Reta Honey Hiers, executive director and president of the Tarlov Cyst Disease Foundation talks about the problems of getting a proper diagnosis. Diagnosing Tarlov cysts is problematic for three reasons: 1) These cysts can create a plethora of symptoms that make it difficult to diagnose. 2) One of the main symptoms - back pain - usually lead clinicians to only take images above the sacral region. As a result, the sacral-located cysts are not imaged. 3) Even if the cysts are imaged, many doctors dismiss the cysts as not being symptomatic. For more information, visit www.tarlovcystfoundation.org
Tarlov/perineural cysts are dilations of the nerve root sheaths filled with cerebrospinal fluid. Most Tarlov cysts are located in the sacral regions of the spine (95% of cases) where they can be responsible for a multitude of symptoms, including excruciating back pain. Due to their location (and its limited recognition) most surgeons are reluctant to perform surgery. In this exclusive interview with Rare Disease Report, Reta Honey Hiers, executive director and president of the Tarlov Cyst Disease Foundation talks about the treatment and the few neurosurgeons in the world who are experienced in treatment the condition. For more information, visit www.tarlovcystfoundation.org
The Tarlov Cyst Disease Foundation is an advocate for patients and promotes research and education about Tarlov cysts.
Dr. Frank Feigenbaum is a Board-Certified Neurosurgeon practicing in Dallas with extensive experience in treating Tarlov and meningeal cyst patients. Dr. Feigenbaum has developed and refined a surgical treatment for meningeal cysts with proven statistical results. Outcomes data reflect statistically significant improvement in a multitude of symptoms following surgery.
Dr. Feigenbaum is fully bilingual in English and Spanish and received his medical and surgical training at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. He is Board Certified by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. In addition, he serves on the Medical Advisory Board of the Tarlov Cyst Foundation. Dr. Feigenbaum is the author of numerous journal articles and book chapters on meningeal cysts as well as other neurosurgical disorders.
In this video, Dr. Frank Feigenbaum discusses spinal meningeal cysts and Tarlov cysts.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.