Skip to Content
800-533-8762
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Health Care Professionals
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
UPMC
  • Find a Doctor
  • Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
    • Frequently Searched Services
      Allergy & Immunology Behavioral & Mental Health Cancer Ear, Nose & Throat Endocrinology Gastroenterology Heart & Vascular Imaging Neurosciences Orthopaedics
      Physical Rehabilitation Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery Primary Care Senior Services Sports Medicine Telemedicine Transplant Surgery Walk-In Care Weight Management Women’s Health
      See all Services
    • Services by Region
    • Find a UPMC health care facility close to you quickly by browsing by region.
      UPMC in Western Pa. Western Pa. and New York
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Services
  • Locations
    • Locations by Type
    • Locations by Type
      UPMC hospitals
      Hospitals
      Physical Therapy
      Physical Therapy
      Urgent care
      Walk-In Care
      UPMC Outpatient Centers
      Outpatient Centers
      UPMC Imaging Services
      Imaging
      Community Health Centers
      Community Health Centers
      See All Locations
    • Locations by Region
    • Locations by Region
      UPMC in Southwest Pa. Southwest Pa.
      UPMC in North Central Pa. North Central Pa.
      UPMC in Northwest Pa and Ny. Northwest Pa. & Western N.Y.
      UPMC in West Central Pa. West Central Pa.
      UPMC in Central Pa. Central Pa.
      UPMC in Western Md. Maryland & West Virginia
    • See All Locations
  • Patients & Visitors
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
      Patients and Visitors Resources Pay a Bill Classes & Events Medical Records Health Library Patient Information
      Patient Portals Privacy Information Shared Decision Making Traveling Patients Visitor Information
      Man uses mobile phone
      Pay a Bill
      Nurse reviews medical chart
      Request Medical Records
  • Patient Portals
  • Find Covid-19 updates
  • Schedule an appointment
  • Request medical records
  • Pay a bill
  • Learn about financial assistance
  • Find classes & events
  • Send a patient an eCard
  • Make a donation
  • Volunteer
  • Read HealthBeat blog
  • Explore UPMC Careers
Skip to Content
UPMC
  • Patient Portals
  • For Patients & Visitors
    • Find a Doctor
    • Locations
    • Patient & Visitor Resources
    • Pay a Bill
    • Services
    • More
      • Medical Records
      • Financial Assistance
      • Classes & Events
      • HealthBeat Blog
      • Health Library
  • About UPMC
    • Why UPMC
    • Facts & Stats
    • Supply Chain Management
    • Community Commitment
    • More
      • Financials
      • Support UPMC
      • UPMC Apps
      • UPMC Enterprises
      • UPMC International
  • For Health Care Professionals
    • Physician Information
    • Resources
    • Education & Training
    • Departments
    • Credentialing
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
  • Newsroom
  • UPMC >
  • Our Services >
  • Neurosurgery >
  • ... >
  • Patient Stories >
  • Pituitary >
  • Edith Smith
Neurosurgery
About Us
Contact Us
Conditions and Treatments
Brain
Spine Neurosurgery
Neurophysiology
Meet the Neurosurgery Experts
Patient Stories
Brain Tumors
Chiari Malformation
Cranial Nerve Disorders
Movement Disorders and Epilepsy
Neurovascular
Pituitary
Spine
Classes, Events, & News
Neurocirugia
Neurosurgery
About Us
Contact Us
Conditions and Treatments
Brain
Spine Neurosurgery
Neurophysiology
Meet the Neurosurgery Experts
Patient Stories
Brain Tumors
Chiari Malformation
Cranial Nerve Disorders
Movement Disorders and Epilepsy
Neurovascular
Pituitary
Spine
Classes, Events, & News
Neurocirugia

Chat Keywords List

  • cancel or exit: Stops your conversation
  • start over: Restarts your current scenario
  • help: Shows what this bot can do
  • terms: Shows terms of use and privacy statement
  • feedback: Give us feedback
Continue
Chat with UPMC
RESTART
MENU
CLOSE

Edith Smith: Odontoid Synovial Cyst

She has shoulder length gray hair. She is smiling brightly. She wears gold hoop earrings and silver glasses.

The Challenge

It's common to hear people say, "Listen to your body," and as Edith Smith learned, it's a good rule to stand by. This vibrant, 71–year-old, on-the-go registered nurse didn't listen and may not have had her symptoms checked out had it not been for the urging of a co-worker. Edith's action may have saved her life.


"I was relaxed and calm. I knew this had to be done and that I was in good hands." — Edith


Schedule an Appointment or Ask a Question

The Path to UPMC

It was recurrent dizziness, headaches, and weakness in her legs that led Edith to the Emergency Department. While there, an MRI revealed a lesion at the base of her brain.

The lesion was an odontoid synovial cyst associated with an unstable joint between the top two vertebrae (C1 and C2). The lesion was pressing against her brain stem, pushing it out of position and causing her spinal cord to curve. Surgeons were leery of performing surgery, fearing Edith might be left quadriplegic. However, something needed to be done about the lesion. Edith was told that a fall, a bump, or simply rolling over in bed the wrong way could cause severe damage, even paralysis.

She was referred to UPMC, where surgeons told her that the lesion could be removed through her nose, using the endoscopic endonasal approach. She would also need to have her cervical spine fused for stability once the lesion was removed.

The Solution

The two-part surgery took a total of nine hours. The synovial cyst was removed through Edith's nose, immediately relieving the pressure from the brain stem.

With the pressure relieved, her spinal cord straightened. Then, the top two vertebrae were fused together to treat the instability that led to the cyst formation. Her spine was stabilized with two rods and four screws in the top two vertebrae. After surgery, Edith wore a cervical collar for eight weeks while the fusion healed. Edith says she is thankful for the EEA procedure and glad the doctors didn't have to use the traditional approach of opening her skull or cutting through the back of her throat to remove the lesion. After surgery, she had no pain except for some discomfort in the back of her neck that was relieved with mild pain relievers.

The Results

Three months after surgery, MRIs reveal that Edith's spine has straightened. The fusions were successful and she is starting to grow new bone. She says that having confidence in your doctors, and following their orders, helps the healing process.

"I was relaxed and calm. I knew this had to be done and that I was in good hands," says Edith. Her advice to others is, "Don't get worked up about things that you cannot control. Try to be healthy and calm and you'll recover better."


Our patient stories profile a number of patients who have had minimally invasive brain surgery at UPMC. Although everyone's care experience is unique, we hope that sharing these stories will help other prospective patients and their families better understand these procedures and their potential benefits.

Edith's treatment and results may not be representative of all similar cases.

Read More Pituitary Stories

UPMC
200 Lothrop Street Pittsburgh, PA 15213

412-647-8762 800-533-8762

Patients And Visitors
  • Find a Doctor
  • Locations
  • Pay a Bill
  • Patient & Visitor Resources
  • Disabilities Resource Center
  • Services
  • Medical Records
  • No Surprises Act
  • Price Transparency
  • Financial Assistance
  • Classes & Events
  • Health Library
Health Care Professionals
  • Physician Information
  • Resources
  • Education & Training
  • Departments
  • Credentialing
Newsroom
  • Newsroom Home
  • Inside Life Changing Medicine Blog
  • News Releases
About
  • Why UPMC
  • Facts & Stats
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Community Commitment
  • Financials
  • Supporting UPMC
  • HealthBeat Blog
  • UPMC Apps
  • UPMC Enterprises
  • UPMC Health Plan
  • UPMC International
  • Nondiscrimination Policy
Life changing is...
Follow UPMC
  • Contact Us
  • Website/Email Terms of Use
  • Medical Advice Disclaimer
  • Privacy Information
  • Active Privacy Alerts
  • Sitemap
© 2025 UPMC I Affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences Supplemental content provided by Healthwise, Incorporated. To learn more, visit healthwise.org
Find Care
Providers
Video Visit
Portal Login