Baker's cyst - popliteal cyst (Baker's cyst)

The European Clinic of Sports Traumatology and Orthopedics (ECSTO) is one of the most modern private clinics in Russia and it fully complies with Western standards of medical care. Qualified specialists of the ECSTO clinic, who have at their disposal advanced medical equipment and the latest achievements in orthopedics and traumatology, diagnose and treat injuries of the musculoskeletal system of any complexity.

Baker's cyst is one of the most common diseases of the musculoskeletal system that occur, as a rule, in athletes and active sports enthusiasts.

Baker's cyst, or popliteal fossa cyst, is a soft, dense, elastic tumor-like formation that is located on the posterior surface of the knee joint, i.e. in the popliteal fossa. The volume of the cyst increases when the knee joint is extended, and it becomes possible to palpate it. When bending the knee joint, as a rule, the volume of the cyst decreases until it completely disappears.

Causes of cyst appearance

Baker's cyst can be a consequence of both an injury and a previous disease of the knee joint.:

• joint injuries;

• damage to the cartilage of the joint;

• meniscal damage and degeneration;

• osteoarthritis;

• patellofemoral osteoarthritis;

• inflammation of the synovial membrane of joints (chronic synovitis);

• osteoarthritis;

• rheumatoid arthritis.

It should be noted that Baker's cyst in children is extremely rare.

Symptoms

The main symptoms of the disease are:

• feeling of pressure and pain in the popliteal fossa;

• difficulty of movement in the knee joint;

• the presence of swelling;

• periodic blockages of the knee joint.

Complications

Untimely treatment of Baker's cyst can cause the following complications:

• Baker's cyst rupture due to high pressure during tumor enlargement. Upon rupture, the contents of the cyst pour into the intermuscular space of the upper third of the shin, causing pain, swelling, as well as redness and fever. It should be noted that cyst rupture is the most common complication in this disease;

• compression of the tibial nerve, resulting in numbness, tingling or muscle weakness in the knee joint;

• compression of lymphatic and blood vessels, resulting in pain and swelling of the lower leg;

• occurrence of deep vein thrombosis and lower leg thrombophlebitis. It should be noted that a complication of thrombosis may be pulmonary embolism, which occurs when a blood clot detaches from the walls of the veins and moves with the flow of venous blood;

• the appearance of varicose veins of the subcutaneous veins of the lower leg, as a result of compression of the veins.

Diagnostics

Due to the fact that the cyst is a consequence of the pathology of the knee joint, during the examination it is necessary to correctly assess the condition of the joint.

Ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are reliable and highly informative methods for diagnosing Baker's cyst, which make it possible to determine the presence and size of a tumor. To confirm the diagnosis, in rare cases, a cyst puncture is performed, after which the resulting fluid is examined.

Diagnosis of Baker's cyst of the knee joint in The European Clinic of Sports Traumatology and Orthopaedics, thanks to its own instrumental diagnostics department, is carried out around the clock using the most modern equipment.

Treatment

Baker's cyst treatment can be conservative or surgical. The decision on the choice of treatment method is made by the attending physician, based on the condition of the joint and the results of examinations.

Conservative treatment is to perform a cyst puncture with a thick needle, during which the contents are removed with a syringe, after which steroid anti-inflammatory drugs are injected into the cavity. Note that this treatment does not always give a positive result, and Baker's cyst of the knee joint may recur after removal of the contents.

Surgical treatment consists in open excision of the cyst, which is performed with a preliminary arthroscopic revision of the knee joint. This treatment method is highly effective.

Specialists of the European Clinic of Sports Traumatology and Orthopedics are always ready to help 24 hours 7 days a week in providing all necessary medical care to patients with any musculoskeletal problems the device.