Arthroscopic findings in patients with painful wrist ganglia

The aetiology of painful dorsal wrist ganglia remains obscure. In a prospec tive 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 sc apholunate joint, and two had abnormal lunatetriquetral joints. We think th at painful dorsal wrist ganglia, like popliteal cysts in the knee, are mark ers of underlying joint abnormalities. Surgeons who treat painful ganglia s hould be aware of a possible underlying cause so that they can target treat ment more accurately, particularly in recurrent cases and those patients wi th persistent wrist pain after excision of the ganglion.