Knee cyst

The knee cyst is quite common today. For the most part, it affects people who are subject to constant physical activity (people with hard physical work, sportsmen) or the knee cyst manifests itself as a secondary disease in the face of arthritis, arthrosis and other similar diseases.

Causes of a knee cyst

With hyperproduction of the synovial fluid, it accumulates in the posterior part of the knee. The accumulation of synovial fluid in turn generates many diseases of the knee joint. The knee cyst usually appears due to these diseases. The most common cause may be rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoarthritis. Less commonly, the knee cyst arises from damage to cartilage tissue, excessive physical exertion, and traumatic injuries. The liquid that has accumulated, begins to press strongly on the nerve endings, which leads to painful sensations in the knee and restriction of movements. Sometimes the reasons for the appearance of the knee cyst remain unknown. In children, this disease is not observed often, mostly people of the older generation are exposed to it. To determine the exact cause of the knee cyst, the doctor prescribes an MRI or an ultrasound of the knee joint, and less often punctures the cyst to examine the contents. To date, the knee cyst occurs in 17% of all cases of knee disease.

[1]

Knee joint cyst

The knee joint cyst is a benign tumor-like formation that forms on the back wall of the knee joint, the contents of the cyst is an accumulation of articular fluid, clinically manifested by swelling of the popliteal fossa. This cyst is connected to the joint cavity and its protrusion is actually similar to a hernia. The size of the knee cyst can range from 2mm to 10cm, to a huge size, it usually does not grow due to the fact that it bursts.

The knee cyst is more prominent in the extension of the knee, and becomes smaller when flexed. The skin at the site of localization of the knee cyst usually has a normal, healthy color, no adhesions. A cyst arises mainly because of a metabolic disorder in the articular cartilage or because of obvious diseases of the knee joint (arthritis, arthrosis, synovitis, traumatic joint damage); less often the knee cyst is found in children and adolescents.

Symptoms of the knee cyst

In the initial stages, the knee cyst does not manifest itself in any way, or it is manifested by slight sensations of discomfort. But when it begins to increase in size, it accordingly begins to press on nearby blood vessels and nerves (especially on the tibial nerve), which leads to painful sensations in the knee, numbness and tingling in the sole area, a feeling of constant cold in the area below the knee. Movements in the knee become difficult and painful. In more rare cases, the knee cyst may press so strongly on the popliteal vein that it causes deep vein thrombosis, or varicose veins of the subcutaneous veins, which is accompanied by swelling, a feeling of heaviness and discomfort. Among all admissible complications of the knee cyst there is a rupture of its wall, the cause of which is high fluid pressure in the knee cyst itself. The rupture is accompanied by severe and severe pain, redness of the skin, swelling and local fever.

Cyst of the knee joint meniscus

Meniscus of the knee joint is a joint lining, which consists of fibrous cartilage and acts as a shock absorber in the joint. When there is a constant increased stress on the joint (with constant exercise in sports or during heavy physical work), a meniscus cyst often occurs. It is a liquid strip formation within the meniscus of the knee joint. In the tissues of the meniscus, a mucus-like substance accumulates, which stretches the tissue of the meniscus itself and thus forms a cyst.

There are 3 degrees of the cyst of the meniscus:

• I degree - the cyst can be determined only by histological examination.
• ІІ - a cyst affects the caapsular region, you can see protrusion on the outside of the knee.
• ІІІ - cystic degeneration not only of the meniscus tissue, but also of the nearby capsule and ligaments.

This disease most often develops in young people and middle-aged people. The patient begins to worry about pain in the joint, which increases with physical exertion and disappear in a state of rest. When palpation, a dense, painful swelling is found on the lateral surface of the joint. The cysts of the meniscus of the knee joint range from 0.5 to 3.0 cm. Ultrasound and MRI of the knee joint, arthroscopy, and sometimes X-ray examination are used to make an accurate diagnosis.

[2], [3]

Cyst of the medial knee joint meniscus

The cyst of the medial (inner) meniscus happens less frequently than the cyst of the lateral (external) meniscus because the medial meniscus is less mobile than the lateral cyst. The main symptoms of the knee cyst of the medial meniscus are pain localized in the inner part of the joint, pain with strong bending of the leg, weakness of the muscles of the anterior part of the thigh. This cyst of the meniscus has the property of protruding from the front or rear of the inner side wall. The most effective method of treatment of the cyst of the medial meniscus is arthroscopy, the advantages of which are a quick recovery period, a small cut size, there is no need for a plaster bandage after the operation. Thanks to arthroscopy, the joint tissues remain unscathed, only a specific defect is eliminated.

[4], [5], [6], [7]

Cyst of internal knee joint meniscus

The cyst of the inner (medial) meniscus of the knee joint is less common than the cyst of the outer (lateral) meniscus, for the reason that the lateral meniscus is more susceptible to strain. The meniscus cyst does not have the property to connect with the capsule of the joint and protrudes front or back relative to the inner lateral ligament, less often protrudes through the ligament thickness. The main and dominant symptom of the knee cyst of the inner meniscus is pain that appears when the joint is stressed and disappears at rest. When palpation is marked soreness, a dense swelling of a size of several mm to 3 or more cm. If for a long period of time there is no treatment for the knee cyst of the inner meniscus, this leads to bone tissue degeneration and, accordingly, to the development of deforming arthrosis. The most effective and popular method of treatment of the internal meniscus cyst is its removal by endoscopic arthroscopy, which is less traumatic for the joint and has a small risk of complications.

[8], [9], [10]

Paramentic cyst of the knee joint

The paramental cyst of the knee joint is a meniscus cyst that has spread to the caapsular region and ligaments. Tumor formation reaches a large size and does not disappear when the knee is unbent. It is easy to palpate and diagnosis is not difficult. Paramentic knee cyst refers to the third degree of cystic degeneration of the meniscus and is a complex form, the treatment of which requires surgical intervention. In most cases, complex treatment, surgical intervention and subsequent physiotherapy gives a positive result and the functions of the knee joint in patients are almost completely restored, which helps a person return to a healthy and full life without restrictions. But do not forget that the paramenisk cyst of the knee joint is often a neglected form of the ordinary knee cyst, so a timely visit to the doctor, diagnosis and treatment of the disease at an early stage will avoid surgical intervention.

Ganglion cyst of the knee joint

Ganglion cyst of the knee joint is not very common. This knee cyst is a benign formation that comes from the joint capsule and the tendon sheath. It is spherical or oval formations with a duct in the middle that connects the ganglion cyst with the joint capsule and the tendon sheath. These cysts are filled mainly with liquid (less often gelatinous) transparent substance. When examined, the ganglion cyst is similar to a small water bag or similar to a tight and elastic tumor. The exact and unambiguous cause of the appearance of the ganglion cyst can not be named, but more often it appears in young women with hypermobility of the joint or due to traumatic joint injuries.

Synovial cyst of the knee joint

Synovial cyst - a disease that is characterized by a hernia or hypertrophy (increase) of the synovial membrane of the joint. To date, medicine is not able to name the exact cause of the disease, but there are several risk factors, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, traumatic joint damage. Treatment of this knee cyst in most cases is operational, since conservative treatment methods do not represent high efficiency. The operation consists in the complete removal of the synovial cyst and with the subsequent stitching of the weak site of the capsule with a special suture that helps to strengthen it. To date, a popular method is endoscopic removal of the knee cyst, for the reason that this method is less traumatic and the recovery period is faster and more efficient. But in any case, to delay the visit to the doctor is not worth it, since the synovial cyst may break and this in turn will complicate the whole process of treatment and recovery several times.

Cyst under the knee joint

The cyst under the knee joint (Baker's cyst) is a benign neoplasm that has a dense elastic structure and is characterized by the extension of the joint capsule and the synovial membrane of the knee joint. Clinically manifested in the form of bulging oval in the popliteal area. The Baker's cyst is similar in structure to a hernia, since its body does not consist of individual cells but is connected to an articular bag. The popliteal cyst most strongly protrudes with the knee flexed, when the knee is bent - it is less dense and less convex. When the popliteal cyst reaches a large size, it can restrict movement in the knee, clog the veins (which leads to their varicose extension), or it can press on the nearby nerves and thereby cause numbness in the foot. When the cyst ruptures, pain occurs under the knee, fluid exits from its cavity and spreads over the shin, causing its swelling. Surgical removal of Baker's cyst is by far the most effective method of treatment and, accordingly, has positive results.

[11], [12], [13]

Diagnosis of the knee cyst

Diagnosis of the knee cyst is performed by a trauma doctor or orthopedist. The knee cyst is a secondary disease, therefore for the diagnosis it is taken into account the medical history, patient complaints, laboratory and instrumental methods of research. To date, the most popular and accurate methods of instrumental diagnosis are MRI and ultrasound of the knee joint, they can accurately determine the size and position of the cyst. Sometimes in very severe cases resort to the use of arthroscopic diagnosis - through a small incision with an optical tube examine the joint cavity. A popular laboratory method of diagnosis is a puncture of the knee cyst with subsequent examination of its contents. Due to accurate diagnosis and correctly diagnosed treatment of knee cyst will have a positive result.

[14], [15]

Treatment of knee joint cysts

Treatment of the knee cyst suggests a comprehensive approach to the treatment of the disease. There are several main points in treatment, these are:

• Drug treatment. In most cases, medicamental treatment of the knee cyst is not an effective way. Often, medicines are prescribed by a doctor before or after surgery. In this case, drugs are intended that relieve inflammation and stop pain, these are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Ketoprofen, Indomethacin. These drugs are used in the form of tablets, ointments, injections. These medications can relieve pain and inflammation, but can not completely cure the knee cyst, so if the cyst is not removed in time, then complication and recurrence of the disease in a more acute form can occur
• Operative methods of treatment of the knee cyst include puncture of the cyst and surgical removal of the cyst. When puncturing the cyst, pierce with a thick needle and suck the fluid off it, then steroid (hormonal) anti-inflammatory drugs such as Berlicort, Triamcinolone, Kenalog, Diprospan are injected into the interstitial bag. The puncture gives a temporary result, since in the future, when the knee joint is loaded, the cavity in the popliteal region will again be filled with the joint fluid and there will again be a need for repeated puncture. Surgical removal is the complete removal of the cyst under local anesthesia. This operation lasts no more than 30 minutes. In a day the patient can already be discharged from the hospital, and after about a week the patient is already allowed to walk.
• Treatment of the knee cyst by alternative means is effective only if the cyst has a primary stage and correspondingly small size. Also, alternative drugs can act as a method of additional therapy for drug treatment or during recovery from surgery. There are several popular and effective recipes for alternative medicine for the treatment of knee cysts:

1. Treatment of tincture of a golden mustache. Golden mustache must be crushed and filled 3/4 of the volume of a three-liter jar, then pour over with water, close with a dense lid and put for 20 days in a dark place to insist. After the infusion, strain and take three times a day for 2 tablespoons 10 minutes before meals. Grass from the infusion can be used as a compress on the knee.
2. Treatment celandine. It is necessary to finely chop 2 tablespoons celandine and pour boiling water (100 ml), insist 30 minutes. And do a compress every 2 days for 2-3 hours. This compress very well removes inflammation and pain in the knee.
3. Appliques with leaves of elderberry and raspberry. It is necessary in equal proportions to take leaves of elderberry and raspberry, pour boiling water (100 ml), insist 30 min. Mass the leaves to put on gauze, put on the knee, on top of the oilcloth material and hold this compress for 2 hours. The procedure should be repeated daily before bedtime.

When using recipes for alternative medicine, it is worth remembering that not everyone can get a particular treatment. The knee cyst is a tumor-like disease, so infusions and compresses can not in all cases give a good effect and completely relieve the disease. Any kind of treatment of alternative medicine should be agreed with the attending physician, and only then apply.

• Physiotherapy. LFK in the treatment of cysts of the knee joint is used exclusively during remission, there is no inflammation and pain in the joint. Otherwise, physical exercises can lead to pain and complication of the general condition of the disease. Exercises for exercise therapy at the knee cyst should be prescribed by a physician-physiotherapist and at first they must be performed only under his supervision. To reduce pain in the joints, SUF-irradiation is used, the affected area of the joint is exposed to ultraviolet light. This method of therapy is performed every day or every other day, no more than 5-6 sessions of similar irradiation are used. Inflammatory laser therapy, low-intensity UHF therapy and high-intensity centimeter wave therapy are used to relieve inflammation. The entire course of these types of therapy includes no more than 10-15 procedures. To improve blood flow, ultrasonic diagnostics, hydrogen sulphide and radon baths are used.

At home, the patient can practice exercise therapy (but only with the permission of a physiotherapist) and also make a light self-massage of the knee.

Prophylaxis of the knee cyst

The methods of preventing knee cysts include exercise therapy in the period of remission or physical exercises aimed at strengthening the knee muscles. It is also important not to physically overstraight the knee, as in most cases the knee cyst appears due to excessive loads during heavy physical work or during sports. As a method of maintenance therapy, such drugs can be used to strengthen the ligaments and joints like glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, collagen, calcium and vitamin D. These drugs are noted for their high effectiveness in the prevention of locomotor system diseases. It is important not to ignore any, even minor, pain symptoms in the knee, since the knee cyst can occur as a secondary disease, against a background of another knee joint disease.

In the modern world, the knee cyst is a fairly popular disease and is mainly diagnosed at a late stage when it is necessary to apply surgical methods of treatment. Therefore, you need to listen to your body and for any, even minor symptoms of the disease, consult a doctor for advice. The earlier the disease is detected and diagnosed, the more effective will be the treatment and recovery of the patient.