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Treatment and surgery of Baker's cyst of the knee joint

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A cyst of the knee is a benign tumor-like formation, which is localized on the rear wall of the joint and is an accumulation of joint fluid. Clinically this phenomenon is characterized by swelling of areas of the popliteal fossa. Since the cyst is connected with the articular cavity, its protrusion much like a hernia. The knee the cyst may be from 2 to 100 mm. Reaching a large size, the formation of bursts.

Most clearly, the knee cyst is visualized with extension of the legs, at the time of bending to find it more difficult. The skin in the place of localization of education does not change its color, the spikes are absent.

Suffer from this disease are mainly those people whose work is associated with high physical activity, transferring weight as well as athletes. In children the disease occurs much less frequently than older people.

The knee the cyst may be a secondary disease that develops in the background of such diagnoses as osteoarthritis, arthritis and the like.

A cyst of this kind are very labile: has the ability to change size or disappear. Yourself cystic masses can be single (when formed only one cavity) and multiple (there are a few small cysts).


Signs and symptoms of cysts of the knee joint

This disease has the following symptoms:

  • swelling of the joint with clear boundaries, which lends itself well to palpation;
  • disruption of the functioning of the various joint degree, until immobility;
  • tenderness when the joint;
  • swelling and numb the surrounding tissues.

While the symptoms may be completely absent at the initial stage or occur due to weak discomfort. But with increasing size of the cyst pressure on the surrounding nerves and blood vessels increases, resulting in numbness, tingling in soles, pain in the knee and constant feelings of cold in the area below the knee. Movementfeet is difficult and causes pain.

Occasionally the pressure of a knee cyst at the popliteal vein is so intense that contributes to the occurrence of thrombosis of deep veins or their varicose. This situation is accompanied by a feeling of discomfort, heaviness, swelling.

With this complication as rupture of the cyst of the knee joint can cause severe, sharp pain, the skin on the back of the leg red, swollen, and fever.


Causes of cysts of the knee joint

May cause cysts following factors that are associated with the occurrence of knee joint pathology:

  • injury of the knee: beats, subluxations, which are most often associated with sport activities;
  • degenerative changes and damage to the meniscus;
  • chronic stage of inflammatory processes in the membranes of the knee joints;
  • damage to, destruction of joint cartilage;

  • the presence of such diseases as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, arthrosis patellofemoral etc.

Because of these circumstances begins to increased production of synovial fluid and its accumulation in the back of the knee parts. A large amount of the substance begins to put pressure on end nerves, which leads to the emergence of characteristic symptoms.

Excess fluid in the knee joint otherwise referred to as articular effusion or water on the knee.

A cyst of the knee joint can occur even in the case where the knee generally healthy. The Bursa – sacs of synovial fluid designed to reduce friction of the movable elements of the joints – forms the tunnel connected with the joint shell. According to it, the liquid drains in the knee Bursa, causing swelling. This clinical picture is most characteristic of patients-children.

To identify the exact cause of the disease allows the knee joint ultrasound or MRI. Rarely for this purpose, conduct a puncture of the cyst contents.


Baker's cysts of the knee joint

A Baker's cyst is soft but dense to the touch a benign form, developing in the popliteal fossa (back of knee). It differs elastic compact structure and is characterized by the deformation of the synovium and the destructive processes in the joint capsule.

Baker's cysts of the structure resembles a hernia, because it does not consist of individual cells, and is connected with the joint capsule.

This formation is best seen when you straighten the knee when it is bent, the cyst is less convex and has a lower density.

This disease has received the name on behalf of the Britishdoctor William Baker, who owns the first published reports on synovial cysts, localized in the knee joint.

Other types of cysts of the knee joint

Ganglia cyst of the knee joint is considered a benign form, which comes from the tendon sheath and joint capsule. It is a spherical or oval formation, having in the middle of the duct connecting the cyst with the tendon sheath and joint capsule. Filling of the cyst is a clear liquid or gelatinous substance. Ganglia cyst during the examination has the form of small water bag or a taut tumor. Found this disease is quite rare. To determine the cause definitely it is difficult, often vulnerable young women with hypermobility of the joints. In addition, ganglia cyst of the knee is sometimes the result of injury.

Paramedische cyst of the knee joint occurs when a cyst of the meniscus extends to the ligaments and pericapsular area. Tumor formation acquires a large size and with extension of the knee does not disappear. Palpation and diagnosis of difficulties does not represent.

Parmenenkov cyst of the knee joint refers to the third stage of cystic degeneration of the meniscus. The complex form of the disease requires surgical intervention. Avoiding it is possible with timely treatment to the doctor, correct diagnosis, integrated treatment approach with physiotherapy subsequent events. In this case it is possible to achieve a full recovery of the knee.

Synovial cyst of the knee joint may have a hernia or a change in the synovial membrane of the joint. The exact cause of this disease is not clear, but at risk are people suffering from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and having trauma to the joint. Because conservative methods of treatment give a weak effect, often resort to surgical measures. During the operation, remove the synovial cyst and stitch the weak point of the capsule by means of a special seam that helps to strengthen.

Modern medicine offers endoscopic removal of synovial cyst of the knee, since this method allows us to reduce the injuries to a minimum and to accelerate, improve the efficiency of the processrehabilitation.

It is important to seek medical help because of the synovial cyst at any moment might break and thereby greatly complicate the treatment and recovery of function of the knee.

Cyst spondylitis in the knee joint – a rare name of Baker's cyst. It is caused by various degenerative processes of inflammation of the articular cavity with the formation of the tumor.

Subchondral cysts of the knee joint is recognized as benign cystic lesion, characterized by multiplicity. This education consists of fibrous tissue, myxoid content either filled with silicone. It accompanies the course of a number of degenerative changes in the articular cartilage.

Subchondral cysts are more common in older people and often has an asymptomatic course. The diameter of the education can vary from 0.5 to 1.5 cm is observed During the examination of the defect subchondral bone, which walls serve the surrounding normal bone tissue. The outer fibrous fabric has a loose or dense texture, and the inner layer of subchondral cysts is not defined.

Cyst of the medial meniscus of the knee finds himself with pain, lokalizirutesa in the inner region of the knee joint, which is particularly acute when intense bent leg. The symptom may be weakness of the front muscles of the thigh. Such a cyst usually protrudes in front of or behind the inner side wall. The greatest efficiency in the treatment of arthroscopy is famous for providing small size of the incision, and quick recovery without the cast.


Treatment of cysts of the knee joint

If you have symptoms that indicate the occurrence of benign tumors, it is necessary to immediately seek the assistance of competent professionals. Because the treatment of cysts, is always done individually, taking into account the characteristics of the case, only a qualified doctor can choose from a list of effective techniques most suitable. It can be conservative treatment or operative measures. Assistive technology will serve as recipes of traditional medicine and physiotherapy.

In most cases drug treatment has a low efficiency. Various drugs can help reduce pain, but they do not affect the cause of the disease, and therefore not able to restore mobility to the joint. This method mainly before or after surgery. Then prescribe medications, relieves inflammation and relieves the pain. They can be used in the form of ointments, tablets, injections.

One of the operational methods, puncture of the cyst. Carry out her nextfollows: a thick needle puncture the cyst and suck the fluid out of it. Then injected steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (Triamcinolone, Diprospan, Berlicort, etc.) in mesotheiloma bag. Puncture can only give a temporary result, because the load on the knee joint will lead to the fact that the cavity will again be filled with synovial fluid.

To treat a cyst of the knee joint with the help of folk recipes has sense only in case if the disease is at primary stage of education has a small size. In addition, these funds will serve as additional therapy at the time of medical treatment or during postoperative recovery. In this capacity, well established celandine, burdock, Golden mustache. They make poultices and tinctures. Any methods of treatment folk remedies need to be mandatory to align with the attending physician.

Physical therapy is prescribed only in remission because physical activity can cause the resumption of the pain and complications of the disease.

Therapeutic exercises in the cyst of the knee joint by a doctor-physiotherapist and monitors their implementation. Later the patient can do physical therapy at home sessions easy self-massage.

In order to reduce the pain and reduce inflammation apply suf-irradiation, infrared laser therapy and low-intensive UHF therapy. Hydrogen sulfide, radon baths are prescribed to improve blood flow.


Removal of cysts of the knee joint (surgery)

The indication for surgery and cyst removal are the following cases:

  • education is large;
  • cyst very painful;
  • the disease progresses rapidly;
  • other methods of treatment proved ineffective.

During the operation the cyst is removed, there is a local anesthesia. The duration reaches an hour, the next day the patient leaves the hospital, after 5 days the knee is ready for minor loads, a week of surgery.

Removal of cysts of the knee joint can be recommended as the treatment of the main disease problems of the knee, such as torn meniscus, as in this case, the appearance of education is a secondary disease.