Fields of treatment / Orthopedy / Baker’s cyst
Baker’s cyst
Baker’s cyst is a fluid-filled bulge that forms under the knee. It is often a result of an injury to the knee. Baker’s cyst is also caused by osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout. It often develops in athletes like football, volleyball and handball players who tend to overuse their knees.
Symptoms and diagnostics
The cyst is often small and causes no pain and there are no symptoms. It may often go unnoticed and is only revealed by MRI or ultrasound scan by chance. A larger cyst may cause swelling behind your knee and you may feel stiffness in your knee and reduced mobility of the knee. Ultrasound and X ray are often ordered to either confirm or rule out more-serious conditions, such as deep vein thrombosis.
Treatment
Baker’s cyst does not usually need any treatment. If mobility of the knee is reduced, taking rest or application of knee orthosis may be recommended. The cyst may also be drained using a needle, followed by a course of anti-inflammatory drugs-corticoids. If the cyst makes it hard for you to move your knee or walk, surgery might be an option. A simple outpatient procedure is performed, where the doctor removes the cyst.
Alternatively, underlying cause of the cyst is addressed by an arthroscopic exam. Following that, damaged cartilage or ruptures in the meniscus are repaired. These may cause the cyst to go away completely or it may be removed arthroscopically and the joint cavity may be closed.
