A ganglion cyst is a fluid-filled sac that grows out of a joint or a tendon sheath, most often on the back of the wrist. It is not cancer, and many go away on their own. Dr. Hunter treats ganglion cysts of the wrist and hand in Columbia.
Lee Hunter diagnoses and treats ganglion cyst in Columbia, from the first visit through recovery.
What is a ganglion cyst?
Start with the part that worries people most.
A ganglion cyst is not cancer. It is a smooth sac filled with clear, thick jelly, like the fluid that lubricates a joint. It grows out of a joint lining or a tendon sheath and stays joined to it by a narrow stalk. That is why the lump swells and shrinks from week to week.
The usual site is the back of the wrist, over the scapholunate ligament, the short band tying together two small wrist bones, the scaphoid and the lunate. Others sit on the palm side of the wrist, or at the base of a finger, where the lump is felt with every grip. At the end joint of a finger it is called a mucous cyst, which comes with wear-and-tear arthritis in that joint and can leave a groove in the nail.
Most cause an ache rather than sharp pain, and many shrink or disappear over months with no treatment. A large one can press on a nerve and give tingling.
One thing to say plainly. An old home remedy is to hit the cyst with a heavy book. Do not. The blow can injure the tendons, nerves, and vessels underneath, and it can break a bone. It also leaves the stalk behind, so the cyst usually refills.
How is a ganglion cyst diagnosed?
Most are recognized by their location, a smooth firm feel, and a lump that changes size.
A common office test is transillumination: a small light is held against the lump, and a fluid-filled cyst glows because light passes through it, while a solid lump does not. Ultrasound confirms the fluid, and MRI is used when a cyst is suspected but cannot be seen or felt. A lump that is hard, fixed, growing steadily, or painful at night is looked at more closely instead.
What is recovery like?
After aspiration you go home the same day and can use the hand right away, though the cyst returns in a fair number of people.
After surgical removal the wrist is bandaged for a few days and gentle motion starts early. Soreness commonly settles over two to three weeks, and scar tenderness can linger a couple of months. Desk work is commonly resumed within a week and gripping work in two to four weeks. These are ranges, not promises.
What are the treatment options?
- 01Watching and waiting, since many cysts shrink or disappearWatching and waiting, since many cysts shrink or disappear
- 02A wrist splint and activity changes when the cyst achesA wrist splint and activity changes when the cyst aches
- 03Anti-inflammatory medicine for a short course, when safe for youAnti-inflammatory medicine for a short course, when safe for you
- 04Aspiration in the office, drawing the jelly out through a needleAspiration in the office, drawing the jelly out through a needle
- 05Surgical removal of the cyst with its stalk, for one that keeps returning or presses on aSurgical removal of the cyst with its stalk, for one that keeps returning or presses on a nerve
- 06Arthroscopic removal through keyhole incisions, for some cysts on the back of the wristArthroscopic removal through keyhole incisions, for some cysts on the back of the wrist
What do patients ask most?
Is a ganglion cyst cancer?+
Should I hit it with a book?+
Does it have to be removed?+
Will it come back after surgery?+
Who treats ganglion cyst in Columbia?
Lee Hunter is a board certified orthopedic surgeon who treats ganglion cyst in Columbia, TN. Dr. Hunter sees patients at the practice in Columbia; appointments can be requested through this site.
How do payments work?
Contact the office to confirm insurance participation.
Trained at Campbell Clinic (Orthopaedic Surgery Residency). Sees patients in Columbia.
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