Haemorrhage into juxta-facet cysts causing bilateral foot drop.

An 89 year old gentleman awaiting surgery for carcinoma of caecum presented with sudden back pain and developed foot drop two weeks later. MRI revealed multiple spinal metastases with a cyst in the canal at L4/5 causing spinal canal stenosis. Surgery revealed a juxta articular synovial cyst with haemorrhage in it. We discuss the presentation and management of juxtarticular cysts with a review of the literature.