[Popliteal cysts: unusual form of presentation]

Popliteal cysts are usually associated with abnormalities of the knee joint such as osteoarthritis, chronic inflammation or cartilage tears. 15 patients with popliteal cysts demonstrated by arthrography are described who had no obvious lesion of the knee. They had consulted their physician for symptoms without a clearcut relation to the knee joint, such as tenderness on the external side of the calf, ankle edema or paresthesia in the toes. Standard X-rays and clinical examination of the knee were normal except for tender swelling of the popliteal area. The symptoms improved after injection of triamcinolone into the knee joint. Unexplained symptoms of the lower leg may be due to popliteal cysts even in the absence of obvious knee pathology.