Study on Pathogenesis and Treatment of Sacral Tarlov Cysts

November 20, 2023 updated by: Yuntao Lu, Southern Medical University, China
The pathogenesis of sacral Tarlov cysts (TCs) is still unclear. In this study, histological techniques were used to clarify the anatomical membranous layers of TCs and further explore the pathogenesis of them.Although many approaches have been used to treat TCs, there is no consensus on the optimal treatment. Microsurgery is now increasingly recommended as the preferred treatment with the best long-term outcomes.However, some authors have proposed the opposite view because current microsurgical techniques fail to completely close the ostium between the cyst and subarachnoid space.Consequently, could lead to leakage of cerebrospinal fluid, pseudomeningocele , or a high frequency of cysts recurrence, which are the main reasons for surgical failure and also the biggest scruple when microsurgery is chosen. Herein, we present a new method of cyst separation and ostium closure, and evaluate its clinical reliability and effectiveness for surgical treatment of Tarlov cysts through the prospective study.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

  1. Part of the intact cyst wall was removed under the microscope and fixed in 10% formalin solution. After dehydration and paraffin embedding, tissue sections (thickness: 6μm) were prepared and dewaxed to water. Sirius red stain drops were stained for 1 hour. The staining liquid on the surface of the slices was removed after a little flushing with water. The slices were dehydrated and transparent, sealed with neutral gum, and the membranous layers of the capsule walls were observed under a microscope.It has been observed in previous surgeries that all cysts were incompressible and remained filled after opening the distal wall of the cyst to release cerebrospinal fluid（CSF). These findings lent support for the proposed valve mechanism as the etiology of the entity becoming symptomatic. In this study, the cyst was observed in the following way: the dural sac was opened to expose the ostium to observe whether the cystic fluid would reverse outflow and shrink the cyst; In this way, the existence of a "one-way valve" can be further verified.
  2. Modified microsurgical method is used to treat patients who met the inclusion criteria. To evaluate the surgical effect, we record and statistically compare the patients'outcomes before surgery and at the postoperative follow-up, which include the following: 1) Demographic data: sex, age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), etc.; 2) clinical manifestations: symptoms and their features, complications, and long-term recovery; 3) Imaging findings: maximum diameter, location, shape, number, intracapsular nerve root condition, and postoperative outcome of TCs. 4) Surgical characteristics: operative process and time, intraoperative blood loss, assistive technologies, etc.; 5) Neurologic assessment using the following tools: The visual analogue scale (VAS), Scoring System for the Clinical Evaluation of Patients with Spinal Processes (hereinafter referred to as SCPS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Japanese Orthopedic Association Scores 29 (JOA), and modified evaluation criteria for the efficacy of lumbar function (MacNab).All patients are required to return for MRI review and neurofunctional assessment at 3 and 12 months postoperatively, followed by annual examinations thereafter.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

50

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

  • China
    • Guangdong
      • Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 510515
        • Neurosurgery department, Nanfang Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Conform to the surgical indications and undergo modified microscopic surgery in our department;
  • Undergo regular review and long-term clinical effect evaluation;
  • Agree to participate in this study.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Ineligible for modified microscopic surgery or unwilling to undergo it;
  • Failure to cooperate with follow-up work or lost to follow-up；
  • Did not agree to participate in the study.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Modified operation group
Undergo the modified ostium obstruction surgery due to symptomatic TCs.
Procedure: modified ostium obstruction surgery
An ostium at the end of the site where the nerve root enters the dural sac, from which CSF could flow continuously along the subarachnoid space, was identified An appropriate amount of autologous soft adipose tissue was removed under the skin of the incision or deep in the upper part of the buttock (Iliac spine incision, for less subcutaneous fat patients). It was then trimmed to resemble a gourd or dumbbell, with a relatively small middle section and two relatively large end sections. Trimmed graft was inserted into the neck of the sac and subarachnoid space below the dural sac so that it plugs the ostium inside and outside After filling the graft, Prolene 6-0 was used to continuously suture and close the ostium and dural sac starting from the lower part of the nerve root sheath and the ostium.The residual cyst cavity filled with autologous fat and gelatin sponge

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The visual analogue scale (VAS)
Time Frame: Three months after surgery
The visual analogue scale (VAS)，Score range: 0-10, with a higher score indicating more severe pain
Three months after surgery
Scoring System for the Clinical Evaluation of Patients with Spinal Processes
Time Frame: One year after surgery
Scoring System for the Clinical Evaluation of Patients with Spinal Processes (hereinafter referred to as SCPS)，score range：0- 25.The higher the score, the better the spinal cord function state.
One year after surgery
Evaluation of imaging results (magnetic resonance and computerized tomography)
Time Frame: One days before surgery
Maximum diameter of TCs.
One days before surgery
Histological examination results
Time Frame: One day after surgery
Part of the intact cyst wall was stained with Sirius red and its anatomical membranous layers were observed under a microscope.
One day after surgery

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Demographic data
Time Frame: Three days before surgery
Age
Three days before surgery
Surgical characteristics
Time Frame: During surgery
Operating time
During surgery
Clinical manifestations
Time Frame: Two days before surgery
Duration of symptoms
Two days before surgery

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Southern Medical University, China

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

September 3, 2020

Primary Completion (Actual)

September 3, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

March 3, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 11, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 20, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

September 28, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

November 22, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 20, 2023

Last Verified

November 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • SMU-Neurosurgery-spine

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

All IPD that underlie results in a publication

IPD Sharing Time Frame

From the completion of data collection to 1 month after the publication of the article

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP
  • ICF
  • ANALYTIC_CODE
  • CSR

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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