Shrinking of a Tarlov cyst

A 65-year-old patient presenting with left labial and perirectal pain was diagnosed with bilateral Tarlov cysts. Upon treatment of the left Tarlov cyst (the right was asymptomatic) using image-guided aspiration and subsequent injection of the cyst with fibrin sealant, the cyst reduced in size. To our knowledge, there are currently no other documented cases in which the Tarlov cyst reduced in size following this procedure. This case would seem to suggest that clinicians are poorly informed with regard to Tarlov cysts. These cysts are more common in Caucasian women, many of whom are told their cysts are not responsible for their pain or that they are not treatable. However, there is clear evidence that some Tarlov cysts are symptomatic and minimally invasive procedures have been developed to treat them. As they primarily occur in women, it is possible gender bias may also play a role in the delayed diagnosis of the patient’s pain.