Baker Cyst or Fluid Concentration Behind Knee

Legs | Orthopaedics | Baker Cyst or Fluid Concentration Behind Knee (Disease)


Description

A Bakers cyst, also known by the name of popliteal cyst, is a benign swelling of the semimembranous bursa behind the knee joint. Baker cysts are not uncommon and can be caused by virtually any cause of joint swelling (arthritis).

Symptoms for baker cyst are: swelling behind your knee, and sometimes in your leg; knee pain; stiffness; texture similar to a balloon filled with water. Rarely, a Bakers cyst bursts and synovial fluid leaks into the calf region causing: sharp pain in your knee, swelling and sometimes, redness of your calf or a feeling of water running down your calf.

Causes and Risk factors

Sometimes the knee produces too much synovial fluid, resulting in buildup of fluid in the bursa and what is called a Bakers cyst. This can be caused by: inflammation of the knee joint, such as occurs with various types of arthritis or knee injury, such as a cartilage tear. In some cases, a Bakers cyst causes no pain, and you may not even notice it.

Diagnosis and Treatment

A Bakers cyst can often be diagnosed with a physical exam. However, because some of the signs and symptoms of a Bakers cyst mimic those of more serious conditions, such as a blood clot or tumor, your doctor may order noninvasive imagine tests, including: Ultrasound and Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Bakers cysts usually require no treatment unless they are symptomatic.

Initial treatment should be directed at correcting the source of the increased fluid production. Surgical excision is reserved for cysts that cause a great amount of discomfort to the patient. ...