Hygroma in a baby

A hygroma in a child (from the Greek hydros – “wet”, oma – “tumor”) is a benign neoplasm (cyst) of a round or irregular shape with a diameter of 0.5-3 cm, of a dense consistency, which originates from the synovial membrane of a joint or tendon. Another term is often used in medicine – “ganglion” (from ganglion – “node”).

The tumor looks like a pronounced capsule with viscous, jelly-like, transparent contents inside. The joint membranes protrude between the tendons and ligaments surrounding them, forming a subcutaneous formation that can have either a soft or hard consistency.

In other words, a hygroma can be imagined as a fluid accumulation in the synovial sac of the joint. This disease has no age restrictions and is quite common in children. It should be noted that its benign course almost never develops into a malignant one. Usually, a hygroma does not cause severe pain in children, but pain may appear when the range of motion of the joint is limited.

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Causes of hygroma in a child

Hygroma (ganglion) in children is a fairly common phenomenon. Very often the disease occurs without known causes and is usually localized in the wrist, hand, knee joint, foot, neck, and less often in the brain. Most often in children, hygroma occurs on the wrist or knee joint. The most dangerous localization of the cyst is considered to be on the back of the child's head, in which case a fatal outcome is possible.

Among the predisposing factors for the development of hygroma in children, one can single out pathological processes occurring in the connective tissue structures of the joint, various injuries to the limbs, or excessive physical activity that negatively affects the health of children.

The main causes of hygroma in a child are his reduced activity or, conversely, too much mobility. Among other reasons? All kinds of joint injuries, as well as stretching of tendons and ligaments during various physical activities, prolonged physical activity of the child.

A hygroma in a child can occur both during the period of intrauterine and post-uterine development. Usually, such a tumor formation is removed under general anesthesia (provided that the child is under 10 years old), as well as under local anesthesia.

Symptoms of hygroma in a child

Usually, a hygroma in a child does not cause any concern or severe pain for a long time. Parents simply discover a small lump on a certain area of the child's skin. The development of the tumor can last for several months and even years, it grows and gradually increases in size. After some time, this leads to increased discomfort and pain, especially during physical activity. First of all, these signs are associated with a decrease in the amplitude of joint movements where the hygroma is found, as well as the "neighborhood" of the tumor with nerves.

What are the main symptoms of hygroma in a child? The tumor can be palpated, it resembles an elastic, slightly mobile ball with a smooth surface, the base of which is securely attached to the skeletal bones or nearby tissues. Most often, such a tumor is solitary, but sometimes hygroma in a child manifests itself in the form of "rice bodies" with pronounced fluctuation and high mobility. At first, such a tumor does not cause pain when palpated. Also, the child does not have an increase in temperature. However, as the hygroma develops, some important changes can be identified:

• the growth of round formations reaching 6 centimeters in diameter;
• soft elasticity and smoothness of the surface of neoplasms (in most cases);
• when the tumor is strongly compressed or when the joint is moved, a nagging pain occurs; sometimes children may experience radiating or dull pain, especially after active physical activity (for example, active games, physical education lessons, etc.);
• thickening and roughness of the skin over the hygroma;
• redness of the skin during an inflammatory process (hyperemia).

It should be noted that hygromas appear both as soft and elastic tumors to the touch, and as hard tumor-like formations. However, in both cases, there is a clear limitation of hygromas. In this case, the skin over the tumor almost always moves freely. As a result of the child's active movements, the hygroma can increase in size, and then, in a state of rest, again acquire its original appearance.

Unfortunately, independent reduction and complete resorption of hygromas is impossible. Basically, their treatment requires surgical intervention. However, in this case, it is necessary to note an important positive factor: such tumors never develop into malignant formations.

Hygroma on a child's hand

A hygroma in a child can appear on different parts of the body, most often on the arm or leg. In many cases, the location of the hygroma on the back of the hand is noted. It is a compacted formation that occurs as a result of filling some tissues with fluid. Such a tumor most often develops from the joint capsule, less often from the tendons. Pediatrics does not have clear explanations for the causes of such neoplasms in children. The tumor can be a consequence of an untreated hand injury, joint inflammation, systematic physical activity, as well as a hereditary predisposition.

A hygroma on a child's hand is usually localized on the palm or back of the wrist. It is essentially a cyst with a cavity containing a gelatinous mass. Over time, this mass accumulates, forming a seal that can be easily felt when pressed. Sometimes a hygroma appears on the flexor muscles of a child's fingers (finger hygroma).

By its nature, a hygroma in a child differs from other tumor-like formations - atheroma, lipoma, fibroma, and never develops into a malignant form. Quite often, cyst-like bumps appear in the area of the child's wrist joint. As a rule, this process occurs due to a fracture, frequent blows or dislocation of the radius, as well as as a result of improper treatment of injuries of this kind.

In any case, if a hygroma is detected on a child’s hand, it is necessary to immediately consult a doctor in order to begin treatment of the disease in a timely manner.

Hygroma of the wrist in a child

A sudden hygroma of the wrist in a child does not initially cause any pronounced pain, but it interferes with the full functioning of the joints and can later cause severe pain with intense physical exertion or systematic bending of the wrist. This is explained by the disruption of flexion and extension movements, as a result of which the child cannot lead his usual way of life. That is why such a tumor, resembling a cystic formation, most often requires immediate surgical intervention.

The cause of the occurrence of a hygroma of the wrist joint in a child can be monotonous movements or overstrain of the muscle groups of the hand. Often, such hygroma affects children who play the violin or piano, spend a lot of time at the computer, etc.

A hygroma in a child that has developed on the wrist looks like a tumor that reaches several centimeters in diameter. Dangerous are those cases when the hygroma is located in the area of the radial artery - in the wrist joint under the palm. This complicates the process of surgical intervention due to the radial artery, which cannot be damaged. If the operation is performed carelessly, the child is at risk of injury to the artery, which subsequently leads to a disruption of the blood supply to the hand.

Hygroma on a child's leg

A hygroma on a child's leg can occur both in the knee area, most often under the knee, and in other areas. In medicine, there are frequent cases when the tumor is located in the ankle joint area. It should be noted that such cone-shaped seals are very painful, and this, in turn, affects the activity and mobility of children. As the hygroma on the leg develops, the child often complains of pain when moving, and this should immediately alert his parents. In such a case, you cannot do without medical help.

A hygroma in a child, localized on the leg, mainly appears due to heavy loads, as well as systematic injuries to the tendons or joints of the leg. For example, a knee tumor progresses quite quickly and can later lead to a number of complications. It is caused by the accumulation of excess fluid in the cavities of the synovial bag as a result of a knee joint injury or overstrain. A popliteal hygroma in a child is caused by muscle congestion and interferes with the flexion movements of the leg. As a result, it is increasingly difficult for the child to walk, so such a tumor requires immediate surgical intervention, i.e. removal.

As for the hygroma of the child's foot, its localization is associated with the ankle joint. The tumor can also develop on the back of the metatarsophalangeal bones. At the very beginning, a small protruding seal appears on the leg. It does not cause pain in the child, but without timely treatment, it can reach quite impressive sizes. Naturally, such progression of the hygroma provokes compression of nearby vessels and nerves located in the foot, and leads to the development of severe pain syndrome in the child. The pain increases significantly with various physical activities, wearing uncomfortable shoes, and additional leg injuries. If the hygroma is damaged, this can lead to severe inflammation of muscle tissue. It is for this reason that the hygroma should be removed before its pathological course begins.

Hygroma of the foot in a child

Often, active games cause various injuries in children, in particular, severe bruises, dislocations of the foot or fingers. As a result of such injuries, a hygroma of the foot may occur in a child. Mostly, such a tumor develops on the back of the phalangeal bones or in the ankle area. It develops very quickly, causing discomfort to the child while walking.

Acute pain syndrome is associated with foot hygroma, since the tumor is localized near nerve endings. The child complains of pain and refuses to wear shoes. In addition, in this case, there is a risk of injury when wearing tight shoes: the tumor increases and provokes compression of blood vessels and nerve endings. Trauma to foot hygroma leads to the development of an inflammatory process, so the tumor must be removed as quickly as possible, otherwise a pathological exacerbation of the disease is possible.

A hygroma in a child that has developed in the foot area is treated conservatively and by performing a surgical operation. The first method of treatment involves crushing the hygroma or pumping out its puncture. It is characterized by recurrent manifestations of the disease due to the complete preservation of the capsule that produces synovial fluid. Surgical treatment of foot hygroma includes excision or laser removal of the tumor. A successful operation aimed at complete excision of the hygroma capsule significantly reduces the number of recurrent manifestations.

Pediatricians do not recommend treating hygroma in a child at home. Indications for complete removal of the tumor are factors such as a cosmetic defect, rapid tumor growth, a feeling of discomfort and severe pain, the development of complications in the form of suppuration, edema and inflammation.

Hygroma of the knee joint in children

In most cases, knee joint hygroma in children develops due to the accumulation of tumor fluid in the synovial sac of the joint. Among the causes of tumor development, one can single out injuries in the knee joint area, constant tension and stress on the joint due to excessively active movements of the child.

Symptoms of a hygroma of the knee joint in a child may primarily be visual changes. Almost always, a spherical seal of varying diameters is observed in the area of the child's kneecap, which is a fluid accumulation. The child does not experience any pain, and sometimes does not even notice the development of the tumor. However, with strong physical exertion on the knees, as well as excessive mobility, the child may experience pain.

Modern medicine offers several methods of treating hygroma of the knee joint in children. At the initial stage of the disease, various massage practices with medicinal herbs, as well as UHF therapy, can be used. In general, these treatment methods are quite effective, but there is a risk of relapse. Therefore, surgical intervention is a more reliable method for getting rid of such a disease as hygroma in a child.

Hygroma under the knee in a child

A hygroma in a child is a cystic formation that suddenly appears in different parts of the body, including on the leg, namely? Under the knee. In modern medicine, such a tumor is called "Baker's cyst".

Visually, a hygroma under the knee in a child appears as a dense subcutaneous cone-shaped tumor localized in the upper part of the popliteal fossa. Such a tumor is characterized by a slight displacement of the bulge to the inner side of the knee. As a rule, the occurrence of a Baker's cyst in a child is not associated with any specific disease of the knee joint. Most likely, the development of such a pathology is provoked by physical activity, as well as excessive mobility of the child, or a knee injury. However, medicine is currently unknown about the exact causes of this disease.

Localization of the tumor under the knee causes a number of negative symptoms in the child, first of all, compression of the vascular-nerve bundle, resulting in trophic disorders, pain, paresthesia. In addition, cosmetic defects arise, and if the disease is neglected, complications in the form of joint inflammation are possible. Therefore, at the first detection of hygroma under the knee in a child, it is necessary to consult a doctor in order to decide on further treatment.

Hygroma of the popliteal fossa in a child

A hygroma in a child often occurs in the popliteal fossa. In medicine, such a tumor is called "Baker's cyst." This is a dense tumor-like neoplasm that is located in the upper part of the popliteal fossa, with a slight inward displacement. Baker's cyst is directly connected to the cavity of the knee joint and contains synovial fluid. In children, as a rule, there is no connection between the occurrence of a hygroma of the popliteal fossa and the presence of any disease of the knee joint. This feature is mainly noted in adults.

In the effective treatment of Baker's cyst in children, the determining factor is dynamic observation. This is especially true for younger children, because their rate of spontaneous tumor disappearance is much higher. In order to ensure a successful outcome of treatment, parents should take care to exclude all kinds of loads on the child's injured limb, including sports.

Popliteal fossa hygroma in a child is treated by surgical intervention in cases where the cyst increases in size or retains its parameters after 2-3 years. The child's parents should remember the risk of possible recurrent manifestations, and therefore, the need for repeated surgical intervention.

Surgical treatment of popliteal hygroma consists of separating the cyst and completely emptying it of its contents. When the tumor is connected to the joint cavity, plastic surgery-duplication of the cyst gate is performed.

Diagnosis of hygroma in a child

A hygroma in a child has a pronounced objective character, so its diagnosis does not present any particular difficulties and does not require any special studies. This is especially true for tumors hidden directly under the surface of the skin. If the neoplasm is localized deeper, an X-ray may be needed.

However, in medical practice there are still cases when the diagnosis of hygroma in a child is carried out incorrectly. This refers to inaccuracies in their definition. Often such seals are confused with abscesses, aneurysms, other tumors, both benign and malignant. Typical localizations of hygroma allow the diagnosis to be established clinically, taking into account complaints and a medical examination of the child with careful palpation of the tumor.

If additional research into the occurrence of a tumor is necessary (in complex cases of its localization), the following diagnostic actions are carried out: •

• X-ray examination;
• Ultrasound of the tumor and surrounding soft tissues,
• puncture of a neoplasm, including collection of material for the purpose of further histological examination.

A hygroma in a child has an external resemblance to an atheroma and lipoma. The final diagnosis is made based on the results of the anamnesis and taking into account the clinical manifestations of the disease. To exclude bone and joint pathology, the child is prescribed an X-ray. Ultrasound examination helps not only to visually identify the cyst, but also to assess its structure, determine the presence of blood vessels and nerve endings in its wall. Diagnostics using ultrasound has the advantages of simplicity of the procedure, availability, information content and low cost.

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Treatment of hygroma in children

Treatment of hygroma in children is primarily associated with the need to avoid relapses of the disease. The most effective treatment of the tumor today is considered to be surgical treatment, which includes complete excision of the ganglion and laser treatment of its membranes. Carrying out such an operation guarantees the absence of relapse to a full extent.

The operation to excise the hygroma is performed under local anesthesia and takes on average no more than half an hour. The child's stitches are removed after about a week. If the child's hygroma is large and has a complex localization, it is recommended to perform the surgery under general anesthesia, especially if the child is under 10 years old.

Conservative treatment is acceptable if the hygroma is small in size. Among the most effective treatment methods are:

• mud therapy;
• ultraviolet radiation;
• paraffin applications;
• electrophoresis.

In the 19th century, the so-called method of "crushing" the hygroma was widely practiced, followed by suction of its contents and introduction of various types of liquids (in particular, hormones, iodine solution, enzymes) into the cavity. However, the main disadvantage of this method of treatment was considered to be the huge number of recurrent manifestations, i.e. repeated occurrence of hygromas in the same place.

Modern medicine offers new technologies in the treatment of hygromas in children, with the least blood loss. With the help of special medical equipment, the operation is carried out through a small puncture in the skin and lasts no more than 20 minutes. Thus, after 3 hours after the excision of the ganglion, the child can leave the medical institution.

Traditional medicine offers many different ways to get rid of this type of tumors in children. Below are some of them.

• Treatment with a copper plate. A small copper plate is heated over a fire, washed in a saline solution and applied to the tumor for three days with careful bandaging. After this time, the procedure is repeated.
• Aloe flatbread with honey. Mix rye flour dough into a flatbread with honey and medicinal aloe juice. Apply the flatbread to the child's sore spot at night, covering it with cellophane and tying it with a downy shawl or warm towel.
• Cabbage. A cabbage leaf is smeared with honey and applied to the hygroma at night as a compress. Before eating, the child is given fresh white cabbage juice (a glass a day). The course of such treatment is a month.

In folk medicine, when treating hygroma in a child, compresses are used in the form of bandaged pieces of kombucha and even the body of a jellyfish. It is also recommended to put alcohol compresses (70%) on the child at night, wrapping the sore spot well with a warm towel.

Removal of hygroma in a child

Hygroma in a child is treated both by conservative methods and by removal. The type of treatment to choose is determined by a medical specialist (traumatologist or orthopedist) during examination, taking into account the child's age, the characteristics of the disease and other factors. Conservative treatment is only a temporary solution to the problem and does not provide the desired results, since it is characterized by a high percentage of relapses. Methods such as kneading and crushing hygromas, which were used by doctors in the past, have long been outdated. Despite the fact that even today some clinics practice punctures, the introduction of sclerosing drugs into the hygroma cavity, therapeutic mud, physiotherapy, the disease can only be completely defeated with the help of surgery.

In case of large neoplasms, only surgical intervention is indicated, during which the cyst is completely excised. Surgery is also recommended if the hygroma has retained its original size for 2-3 years. Removal of a hygroma in a child is the most effective treatment method, since it almost completely eliminates the manifestation of relapses.

During the operation, the hygroma capsule is isolated and removed entirely, along with its contents. If the operation is performed well, then we can talk about a successful outcome of the tumor treatment. However, one should remember an important point: if degeneratively altered tissue remains in the affected area after the operation, its cells will multiply, which will provoke a relapse. This happens in 8-20% of cases.

Indications for the removal of hygroma in a child also include the following symptoms:

• pain during movement and at rest;
• limitations of movement in the affected joint;
• rapid tumor development;
• unaesthetic appearance due to the large size of the neoplasm.

The main factor determining surgical intervention is the rapid growth of the hygroma. The fact is that excision of a large tumor is associated with many difficulties, in particular its location near ligaments, tendons, nerves. In case of hygroma growth, its isolation will be more labor-intensive.

The operation to remove a hygroma in small children is performed under general anesthesia, in older children (over 10 years old) - mainly under local anesthesia. When excising a tumor-like formation, special attention is paid to its base. The quality of the operation also consists of examining nearby tissues and removing small cysts. Then a thorough washing of the cavity is carried out, the wound is sutured, draining with a rubber drain. After the operation, a pressure bandage is applied to the child, and the stitches are removed after about a week.

Modern medicine has an effective and more gentle method of performing surgery to remove a hygroma in a child. This is endoscopic removal of the tumor. The advantages of this method of treatment are a small incision and a small percentage of tissue trauma.

Parents should remember that if the hygroma in a child is growing, it is not recommended to postpone the operation. A large formation will be more difficult to remove.

Prevention of hygroma in a child

Prevention of hygroma in a child consists of choosing effective measures aimed at the optimal mode of life of the child, which would exclude joint injury, excessive activity and all kinds of loads on the limbs. This is especially true for children who attend various sports sections. In such cases, it is recommended to use elastic tight bandages to bandage tendons and joints. Excessive mobility, overload of the limbs during long active movements can become provoking factors for the development of hygroma. Optimization and correct distribution of physical activity is, in fact, the most rational method of preventing hygromas.

Parents should pay attention to the child's shoes. It is preferable to wear comfortable shoes that do not restrict movement, made of natural or high-quality "breathable" materials. Choosing the right clothes for a child is also very important: they should not squeeze the body, but be comfortable and easy to wear.

So, prevention of such a disease as hygroma in a child comes down to:

• the optimal choice of clothing and footwear;
• avoiding constant trauma to joints, tendons and tissues above them;
• correct distribution of the load on the limbs;
• timely treatment of injuries and sprains.

Prognosis of hygroma in a child

In the past, the use of medical practices for the treatment of hygroma, mainly consisting of crushing the formation, sucking out its contents and introducing various liquids into the cavity, did not provide guarantees for the exclusion of relapses in the future. In 80% of cases, the cyst formed in the same place after a certain period of time.

Modern medicine emphasizes the need for complete removal of hygroma, since this method of treating ganglia is the most effective and has no consequences in the form of recurrent manifestations. The prognosis for hygroma in a child is the most favorable if the operation is performed at a high level, efficiently and on time. Today, medicine uses the so-called endoscopic method of tumor removal, which has a number of advantages: the operation is performed through a small puncture and is characterized by a lower degree of trauma.

Hygroma in a child is a serious disease, so parents should treat it with all due responsibility, showing the child to the doctor in a timely manner. Complications after surgical treatment of hygroma are practically non-existent. It is possible to single out only the development of purulent tendovaginitis in case of unfavorable course of the operation.