Ganglion removal

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What is a gelatinous cyst?

Ganglion, also understood as a gelatinous cyst, is characterized as a connective tissue pseudocyst located under the skin in the area of ​​tendons and joint capsules. It most often forms on the dorsal side of the wrist, less often on the palmar side, and sometimes on the foot and knee joints. The body is filled with a characteristic gelatinous content and is not lined with epithelial tissue, which can be observed in the structure of a typical cyst - hence it is called a pseudocyst. It should be remembered that ganglion is not a malignant tumor, but if it is undiagnosed and untreated, it may turn into such a lesion.

As previously mentioned, the jelly cyst is located deep under the skin and usually measures 0.5 to 2 centimeters. A growth reduces mobility in a joint and when it puts pressure on a nerve, it can cause unpleasant tingling and tingling symptoms. The ganglion in the area of ​​the inside of the hand may give symptoms resembling carpal tunnel syndrome, i.e. as a result of compression of the median nerve in the wrist canal, neurological symptoms appear in the thumb and in the first and second fingers, the so-called blessing hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome does not have a cyst or any lesion visible to the naked eye. The signs of reversal in the area of ​​the hands should also be differentiated, for example, with discopathy of the cervical segment from where the spinal nerves come out. Unfortunately, a gelatinous cyst is usually a painful and unpleasant lesion for patients.

Why and in whom are ganglions formed?

A clear cause of the formation of a gelatinous cyst has not been found. Its formation in the company of a wrist joint capsule or tendons proves our body's reaction to inflammation in a given area. Physically active people who strongly overload their joints, mainly wrists, people who perform repetitive movements at work, e.g. office workers using a computer, and those who have suffered injuries, e.g. as a result of fractures in the wrist joint or overload changes, are exposed to the formation of changes. in the tendon sheaths of the forearm muscles. Our hands are anatomically not adapted to accept large and frequent overloads, which is why they are most exposed to injuries. Ganglion can arise in anyone, regardless of age and gender.

How to heal a ganglion?

When you notice a jelly-like growth, you should immediately see a specialist in orthopedics and traumatology. It is the most accurate to assess, examine and diagnose the change and propose the most appropriate treatment in our case. In the diagnosis of ganglions, imaging tests and x-rays are used to exclude, for example, arthritis and other diseases. Then, when the lesion causes severe discomfort, an MRI of the hand is performed, which gives a full detailed picture of the growths and shows possible collisions with other adjacent tissues, e.g. pressure on the nerves, as mentioned earlier.

After detailed diagnostics, the doctor decides about the treatment. The first method used to remove the wrist ganglion is puncture, i.e. puncture of the cyst, then aspiration, i.e. suction of the gelatinous substance from the inside, administration of the drug and application of a dressing. It is a quick and painless method. In the case of larger and more bothersome lesions, a surgical procedure is performed to remove them. The patient is under local anesthesia, i.e. conscious, the surgeon makes an incision and removes the cyst along with its stem and some tissue around it. Then he sews up the treatment site and puts on a sterile dressing. The incision is small and practically invisible when healed. It is also not a painful procedure and there is no need to be afraid of it.

Important information

Frequently asked questions about ganglions and their removal procedure: