Jones The Hand
Ganglion
What is a Ganglion?
Ganglions (or ganglia) are balloons filled with a jelly-like substance. They can arise anywhere there is a joint or a tendon sheath. They are common around the wrist, at the base of the fingers and near to the finger nail. They can feel hard as the jelly is under pressure.
They are not cancerous and rarely cause symptoms. They are therefore usually best left alone. The majority will disappear on their own within 2 years. The old-fashioned remedy of hitting them with a heavy book is not recommended.
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If they are large, causing symptoms, or there is doubt about the diagnosis, it is worth getting it looked at by an expert.
Treatment
If they cause pain or discomfort, treatment can be considered. This involves sucking the jelly out with a needle in the clinic or removing the lump surgically in theatre.
Risks and Recovery
If the jelly is sucked out, there is approximately a 50% chance of the lump coming back. If it is removed surgically, there is approximately a 15% chance of the lump coming back. Removing the lump does not always get rid of the symptoms. There are other risks from surgery including infection, bleeding, damage to other structures in the area, scarring, stiffness and a rare condition where the hand can overreact to the operation resulting in pain, stiffness and swelling for many months.
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Complications are unlikely and most patients make a fast recovery without the lump coming back. Pre-operative symptoms usually disappear and when the scar has matured it is usually neat and subtle.
