@armenm2121 I'm sorry you are going through this and the surgeon was dismissive. He is just protecting himself because he probably doesn't want the case. That is discouraging. I went through this too, not for tarlov cysts, but because I had unusual symptoms from my spinal stenosis and I was turned down by 5 surgeons before I came to Mayo. I was always researching surgeons to consult because I needed an alternative plan. I was reading medical literature to find a surgeon who's interests matched my condition. That's actually what lead me to Mayo, and I found a great surgeon there who helped me and did surgery to resolve my stenosis. Having bladder or bowel control issues can become a permanent problem because of spine issues. That alone is reason for a spine surgeon to examine you, but you will need one who is not afraid of tarlov cysts. Surgeons don't want to fail, and they are judged with statistics for the success of their procedures and rated by insurance companies and Medicare. They don't want to take a risk of failure and have that affect their earning potential. That may sound harsh to say this, but when you find a specialist who has treated tarlov cysts, you may get a better response and your struggles are validated. Keep looking for a good surgeon who understands what you need.