Seminars in Spine Surgery
Volume 18, Issue 3 , Pages 175-179 , September 2006

Synovial Cysts of the Spine: Clinical Presentation and Treatment

  • Ross R. Moquin, MD

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress reprint requests to Ross R. Moquin, MD, Department of Neurosurgery, State University of New York, Upstate Medical University, 750 East Adams Street, Syracuse, NY 13210.

References 

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PII: S1040-7383(06)00046-3

doi: 10.1053/j.semss.2006.06.001

Seminars in Spine Surgery
Volume 18, Issue 3 , Pages 175-179 , September 2006