Surgery using an arthroscope is less invasive than traditional surgery, and has a faster healing time.

Aspiration alone often requires just wearing a hand splint to prevent irritation that might lead to regrowth. Recovery and Resultsĭepending on the treatment approach, recovery time after removing a ganglion cyst varies. This surgery can be performed openly or with an arthroscope. The part of the joint or tendon sheath where the root of the cyst connects may be removed as well. When this happens, surgery is recommended to fully remove the cyst, including the root portion. This means the balloon, or cyst, is more likely to grow back. While aspiration does make the balloon part of the cyst smaller or fully disappear, it doesn’t remove the stem portion. Ganglion cysts grow like a water balloon on a stem. Next, the tough outer shell of the cyst is punctured and the fluid is removed using a needle. To aspirate the cyst, the area is first numbed with a topical anesthetic. This is called aspiration, and is common if the cysts interfere with daily activities or cause a lot of pain. It’s common for your surgeon to recommend hand therapy to improve the range of motion and strengthen the area as pain improves.įor large or painful ganglion cysts, your surgeon can drain the fluid from the cyst. Since physical activity can cause cyst growth, which puts more pressure on surrounding nerves, a splint or brace can help reduce joint pain and allow the cyst to shrink back down in size. Without symptoms, most surgeons prefer to wait and see if surgery is necessary. This depends on the severity and size of the cyst, and whether there is any pain. Initial treatment for ganglion cysts may begin with observation only. Ganglion cysts aren’t dangerous or cancerous, and often go away on their own without treatment. Even without causing pain, larger cysts may cause appearance concerns. However, if the cyst growth presses on the nerves nearby, ganglion cysts can cause muscle weakness, tingling and pain. They can change in size to grow larger or smaller, or even disappear entirely. In the majority of cases, ganglion cysts don’t require any treatment because they are painless on their own. This happens more often in women over the age of 40. When the cysts develop at the end of a finger joint, they are typically associated with arthritis of that joint. There is no known cause for ganglion cysts, although they sometimes appear in response to joint or tendon irritation. They can appear suddenly, or they may grow slowly over a long period of time, and may increase in size in response to joint movement and repetitive activity. Ganglion cysts are very common, occurring mostly in women between the ages of 20 and 40. They appear most often in the joints and tendons in the hand and wrist, but can develop in other areas of the hand and wrist as well. Like other cysts, ganglion cysts are tough sacs filled with fluid. The Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery of Central Texas helps men and women from Austin, Round Rock and throughout Texas restore hand and wrist functionality with reconstructive surgery. However, when cysts grow large enough to cause tingling, pain and muscle weakness, surgery may be necessary.Ĭontact us online today to learn more about your treatment options for ganglion cysts. Often, ganglion cysts will go away on their own. A common ailment, ganglion cysts won’t endanger your health but they can be painful and affect the appearance of your hands. Ganglion cysts are sacs of fluid that can form in your hand at the wrist, the base of your fingers and the last joint in your fingers.

Misshapen finger joints