. Swellings in the Hand - Ganglions | Advance Hand, Wrist & Nerve Centre

Swellings in the Hand – Ganglions

Excision

The surgical procedure to remove a ganglion cyst is called excision and may be suggested by your hand surgeon when symptoms are not relieved with non-surgical treatments, or if it returns even after aspiration.

The procedure involves the removal of the cyst coupled with addressing the stalk. This is done by excising part of the involved joint capsule or tendon sheath to ensure a clean removal of the root of the cyst. However, it is also worth noting that there is still a slim chance that a ganglion cyst may reappear after the surgery. Even if a ganglion cyst does resurface again, although rare, revision surgery can be performed.

Excision is typically performed as outpatient surgery and you may experience some swelling, tenderness and discomfort following the treatment. You should be able to resume normal activities two to six weeks after the surgery.

Speak to our hand surgeon today to find out more about how excision will benefit you.

Non-surgical Treatment Methods

As ganglion cysts are non-cancerous, they are usually not a cause for concern and do not produce any other symptoms apart from the appearance of a mass. Hence, your hand specialist will typically suggest these non-surgical treatment methods in the initial stages.

  • Waiting and observing – some ganglion cysts may disappear on their own so if you are not experiencing any pain or tingling, your hand specialist may suggest waiting and observing to ensure no unusual changes occur.
  • Immobilising with a splint or brace – activities can cause a ganglion cyst to increase in size and cause it to put pressure on a nerve so your hand specialist may prescribe a splint or brace to relieve symptoms and allow the cyst to decrease in size.
  • Draining – also known as aspiration, the process entails puncturing the ganglion cyst with a needle and draining the fluid in it.

Other Treatments