Excision with Temporary Interphalangeal Joint Pin Fixation for Toe Ganglion Cysts

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Podiatric Surgery
• Dermatologic Surgery

Background:

• Toe ganglion cysts frequently cause symptoms and tend to recur.
• Recurrence is often due to communicating lesions between the cyst and the interphalangeal joint (IPJ) or tendon sheath.
• Restricting joint and tendon motion can improve surgical healing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical outcomes of temporary pin fixation of the IPJ following toe ganglion cyst excision.
• To determine the efficacy of pin fixation in preventing cyst recurrence.

Main Methods:

• Sixteen patients with symptomatic toe ganglion cysts were surgically treated.
• Ten patients underwent simple excision; six had excision with temporary IPJ pin fixation.
• Two patients with recurrence after excision alone underwent repeat excision with pin fixation.

Main Results:

• Two of 16 cysts not near the IPJ healed with excision alone.
• Seven of 14 cysts near the IPJ recurred after initial excision alone.
• Eight cysts treated with excision and pin fixation did not recur, including two previously recurrent cases.

Conclusions:

• Temporary IPJ pin fixation is an effective method for preventing recurrence of toe ganglion cysts adjacent to the IPJ.
• This technique facilitates healing and reduces the need for reoperation.