Knee joint cyst

The knee cyst is a densified, elastic formation located at the back of the knee joint. The skin around the affected area is not soldered to surrounding tissues and does not change its color. In the position when the knee is unbent, the cyst is more noticeable. If the knee is bent, the formation becomes visually less or disappears altogether.

The larger the size of the formation, the more pronounced the swelling of the knee joint.

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Causes of a knee cyst

The causes of the cyst of the knee joint do not always lie on the surface, sometimes this pathology can develop for no apparent reason. At the same time, there are a number of factors capable of provoking the development of such an education as a knee cyst. Among them are the following:

• Injury of the knee;
• Injuries to the meniscus;
• Damage to articular cartilage;
• Inflammatory phenomena of a chronic nature in the synovial articular membrane;
• Deforming arthrosis;
• Patellofemoral syndrome, accompanied by such signs as stiffness in the knee cup, pain during physical exertion, as well as sitting on bent legs;
• Osteoarthritis;
• Rheumatoid arthritis.

Symptoms of the knee cyst

Symptoms of the knee cyst may be as follows:

• Sedation in the popliteal fossa;
• Pain sensations in the knee joint;
• Swelling in the knee;
• The appearance of difficulties when trying to bend or unbend the knee;
• Blockades of the knee joint.

Meniscus cyst

The cyst of the knee joint meniscus is most common in young and middle-aged people. Provokes such pathology excessive congestion of the knee, which occurs with severe physical exertion or active sports. As a result, in the meniscus cavity a new formation with a liquid content occurs-the cyst, which most often affects the outer meniscus.

Symptoms of the cyst of the knee meniscus are painful sensations, which, as a rule, are disturbing during physical exertion, in particular, on the knee joint. In the cavity of the meniscus there is a compacted formation, the dimensions of which can be from half to three centimeters.

Cysts of a meniscus of small size become invisible, if the knee is bent, and are clearly visible with the knee flexed, at palpation can not be probed. If the cyst increases in size, it extends beyond the joint.

If you do not take timely measures to treat the cyst of the knee joint meniscus, this can lead to the development of osteoarthritis.

As an auxiliary treatment the patient is recommended to minimize the load on the knee joint. In severe pain, analgesic and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.

The main treatment is aimed at removing the cyst of the meniscus. However, the absolute elimination of the cyst can lead to the development of arthrosis, therefore, it is advisable to resort to the method of arthroscopic surgery to remove it, which minimizes the risk of injury and development of complications due to the fact that the joint is not completely opened, but two small holes are made in it. Further, depending on the location and size of the cyst, it is dissected or the affected portion of the meniscus is removed.

To diagnose the cyst of the knee joint meniscus allows ultrasound examination, arthroscopy or magnetic resonance imaging, as well as X-ray examination.

Paramentic cyst

The paramental cyst of the knee joint is a complication of an ordinary cyst, which affects the ligaments. The size of this new growth is quite large, the position of the knee does not affect the visibility of the cyst, and when it extends it does not disappear.

Diagnosis of such a neoplasm is not difficult and is performed by probing the knee joint. The paramental cyst of the knee joint is the third stage of the meniscus cyst transformation and requires surgical treatment. With the timely access to a doctor, full restoration of the functions of the knee joint is possible.

Ganglion cyst

The ganglion cyst of the knee joint is less common and represents a neoplasm in the form of a ball or oval with a duct combining it with the joint capsule and connective tissue envelopes surrounding the tendons. The cavity of the cyst contains a liquid of transparent color. The reasons for the development of this pathology have not been completely clarified, there is a suggestion that it occurs with increased stress on the knee joint or its trauma.

Diagnosis of the knee cyst

Diagnosis of the knee cyst is performed taking into account the general indicators of the knee joint condition, since the cyst is a consequence of any primary pathologies. The most accurate methods of diagnosis of knee joint cysts are ultrasound examination and magnetic resonance imaging. Also puncture the cyst and analyze its contents.

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Treatment of knee joint cysts

Treatment of the cyst of the knee joint includes conservative and surgical methods. In the first case, the patient is given a puncture cyst, pumped out its contents with a syringe and injects into the cysts steroid anti-inflammatory drugs. However, it should be noted that such therapy is not always effective, and often after pumping out the contents of the cyst, its re-formation occurs.

If the patient is diagnosed with the development of an inflammatory process in the knee joint, the treatment should first of all be aimed at its elimination. For this purpose, physiotherapy is used, as well as various medications for the removal of inflammation in the form of ointments, tablets and injections.

Surgical intervention is indicated in cases where the cyst is large, knocks the mobility of the knee, not allowing the knee to fully bend, and also in cases of recurring inflammation of the synovial membrane of the knee joint and in the case of ineffective conservative therapy.

During the operation of the cyst of the knee joint is excised under local anesthesia. The total duration of the cyst removal procedure is approximately twenty minutes. After five to seven days, the patient may be allowed to fully move, after which the removal of stitches.