Painless cyst which usually appears on soft tissues such as tendons or fascia. It usually appears around the joints of the foot and the hand.
Causes are unknown, although it appears to be related to a defect in the joint capsule or tendon lining. It has also been linked to previous traumas.
They usually appear as soft bulges of 1-3 cm in diameter, that practically do not move upon exploration. In some cases, they may produce mild pain after a trauma. If the ganglion is connected to a finger tendon, there may be a feeling of weakness in the involved finger.
The diagnosis is made by reviewing the patient's medical history and performing a complete physical examination.
A cyst puncture, ultrasound, or MRI may also be performed.
The main therapeutic options include cyst aspiration and surgery to remove it.
- De Keyser F. Ganglion cysts of the wrist and hand [Internet] UpToDate; 2015 [Last access: June 1, 2017]. Available at http://uptodates.riberasalud.csinet.es/contents/ganglion-cysts-of-the-wrist-and-hand
- Dyer SM, Simmons BP. The wrist and hand. In: Rheumatology, 6, Hochberg MC, Silman AJ, Smolem JS, et al. (Eds), Mosby, St.Louis 2015. Vol 1, p.624
- Suen M, Fung B, Lung CP. Treatment of ganglion cysts. ISRN Orthop 2013; 2013:940615
- Diccionario terminológico de ciencias médicas, 13ª edición. Masson
