Arthroscopic findings in patients with painful wrist ganglia

The aetiology of painful dorsal wrist ganglia remains obscure. In a prospective study we investigated the link between a painful dorsal wrist ganglion and wrist joint abnormality with wrist arthroscopy before excision of the ganglion. Of 16 wrists arthroscoped 12 were abnormal, 10 had an abnormal scapholunate joint, and two had abnormal lunatetriquetral joints. We think that painful dorsal wrist ganglia, like popliteal cysts in the knee, are markers of underlying joint abnormalities. Surgeons who treat painful ganglia should be aware of a possible underlying cause so that they can target treatment more accurately, particularly in recurrent cases and those patients with persistent wrist pain after excision of the ganglion.