Large symptomatic sacral Tarlov cyst in a paediatric patient: case report and technical note on a new variation of surgical technique to overcome one-way check-valve mechanism

Symptomatic Tarlov cysts in children with a possible underlying one-way check-valve mechanism are very rare. We aim to introduce a new variation of the surgical technique to overcome a check-valve mechanism.

A 15-years-old girl presented with double incontinence and anogenital numbness due to a large sacral Tarlov-cyst with possibly underlying one-way check valve mechanisms as suggested by preoperative computed tomography myelography. Intraoperatively, one-way check-valve was confirmed and could be eliminated by creating an artificial inner ostium between the Tarlov cyst and thecal sac with blunt perforation.

Postoperatively, the patient had established normal sphincter control and sensation in the anogenital region.

One-way check-valve mechanism might contribute to the symptomatology of large sacral Tarlov cysts in children. Our new variation of a surgical technique enables elimination of the check-valve mechanism without the necessity to open and close the typically very thin and fragile cyst surface and is therefore an efficacious and simple option in this situation.