Doctors have two main ways of treating ganglion cysts. They may either surgically remove the cyst or drain it using aspiration. There are currently no pharmacological treatments for ganglion cysts.

There are two forms of surgery for removing ganglion cysts:

Open Incisions

The surgeon makes a cut that is about 2 inches long and then removes the ganglion cyst through this cut.

Arthroscopic Incisions

The surgeon makes smaller cuts before using an arthroscope to visualize the ganglion cyst. An arthroscope is a tiny camera that can fit through small incisions. Surgeons can pass small instruments through the other incisions to remove the ganglion cyst. This is a form of keyhole surgery.

Ganglion cyst removal is usually an outpatient procedure and may be performed under local or general anesthesia. Before surgery, Dr. Kim may draw a line above the cyst to mark the incision location. Dr. Kim then numbs the treatment area and cuts along the line with a scalpel. The doctor then identifies the cyst and cuts it out along with its capsule or stalk. Once the cyst is removed, the opening is stitched to let the skin heal.

Dr. Kim is one of the few Board-Certified Hand Surgeons in the area. In addition to doing 5 years of general surgery, 2 years of plastic surgery training, and a year of research in wound healing, he also completed a 1-year hand surgical fellowship at the famous Kutz-Kleinert hand institute in Louisville, KY. Dr. Kim participated in the first US hand transplant in 1999. Dr. Kim has passed the intensive examinations to obtain (CAQH) board certification in hand surgery. He is also a member of the ASSH (American Society of Surgery of the Hand). He performs many of his hand surgeries with WALANT (wide awake local anesthesia no tourniquet) which makes the procedure and recovery fast and comfortable.

• After your surgery, rest as much as you can for a few days. This will encourage the site of your cyst removal to heal. Limit movement of your hand and wrist to minimize pain and avoid irritation of the removal site.
• Minimal, nonrepetitive activity is okay after a cyst removal, such as writing or carrying light objects. Your doctor may recommend finger exercises involving stretching your fingers and thumb as far out as possible and then bending them as much as is comfortable.
• You may experience localized pain after surgery, which can be relieved by numbing medications, over-the-counter pain medications, or prescription pain medications.
• You may also experience swelling at the removal site. Swelling can be treated with ice and will eventually go away.

Click for more information about ganglion cyst removal.