Popliteal Cyst (Subscribe)  

Two cases of rupture of lateral cysts which produced symptoms related to the anterolateral lower leg are reported. The difficulty of diagnosing the condition because of this unusual site of inflammation and subsequent management problems are discussed.
Anterolateral rupture of popliteal cysts in rheumatoid arthritis. Kirkham B, Churchill M, Dasgupta B,...

CONCLUSION: The association between Baker cyst and joint effusion was confirmed. A relationship with meniscal tear and degenerative joint disease independent of effusion was also demonstrated. The probability of having a Baker cyst increases as the number of these associated conditions increases.
MR imaging of Baker cysts: association with internal derangement,...

A48 year old man was admitted to the emergency department because of painful swelling of his right calf that had developed gradually during the previous week. He denied cough, dyspnoea, or chest pain. He had no history of a previous thromboembolic event, local trauma, or dehydration. Six months earlier he was diagnosed as suffering from psoriatic arthritis and treated...

Surgical excision of a Baker's cyst is well documented, but clinical recurrence is common if the underlying cause is not treated. We describe a successful operation to drain a cyst into the deep muscle compartment of the calf without any attempt at radical excision or closure of the communication.
A new...

A Baker’s cyst is a synovial cyst that usually communicates with the knee joint by way of a slit-like opening, lined with synovium. Rausching and Lindgren in their study suggested 2 mechanisms for cyst formation. The primary cyst has an unilateral valvular connection and the secondary cyst communicates freely with...

* bursal fluid collection between:
o medial head of gastrocnemius muscle and
o semimembranosus tendon
* associated with knee injury
*...

The most common mass in the popliteal fossa, Baker cyst, also termed popliteal cyst, results from fluid distention of the gastrocnemio-semimembranosus bursa. The eponym honors the work of Dr William Morrant Baker. In 1877, Baker described 8 cases of periarticular cysts caused by synovial fluid that had escaped from the...

A Baker's cyst (also know as a popliteal cyst) is a fluctuant swelling located in the popliteal space. The term is a misnomer as the swelling is the result of synovial fluid distending the gastrocnemio-semimembranosus bursa, rather than being a true cyst.

- a type of cyst which results from egress of fluid through a normal communication of a bursa (semimembranosus or medial gastrocnemius bursa) or may be caused by herniation of the synovial membrane through the joint capsule;
...

Katz et al defined the pseudothrombophlebitis syndrome as the presence of signs and symptoms of thrombophlebitis secondary to intact, dissected, or ruptured popliteal cysts demonstrated by arthrography. Subsequently, many other causes of pseudothrombophlebitis have been described, but Baker's cyst remains the most common cause of the syndrome. We report a case...

A 79 year old male was admitted for pain and swelling in his right calf. Past history included a war injury to the left leg that occurred 40 years previously, and bilateral knee pain for many years. The bilateral knee pain had worsened with activity during the past 4 years, and was relieved with rest, analgesics, and...

An acutely swollen calf is a common clinical problem. Causes include deep venous thrombosis (DVT), ruptured popliteal cyst, haematoma and infection. We describe a case of necrotizing fasciitis diagnosed clinically as a DVT and by ultrasonography as a ruptured cyst.
Necrotizing fasciitis mimicking a ruptured popliteal cyst. Watts RA, Bretland PM. J R Soc...

Account of a case
Popliteal cysts from advanced amyloidosis in long-term haemofiltration/haemodiafiltration. Dantoine T, Castro R, Leblanc M, Bosc JY, Vaussenat F, Bouloux C, Canaud B. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 1997 Jul;12(7):1512-5. full text

Diff Dx:
  - synovial cysts (Baker's)
  - arterial and venous aneurysms
  - thrombophlebitis
  - adventitial cysts of artery
  - popliteal artery aneurysm;
  - benign and malignant neoplasms
   - rhabdomyosarcoma:
   - pigmented villonodular synovitis:
   - synovial hemangioma;

A 35 year old man presented with the sudden onset of left leg pain and swelling. Empirical anticoagulation for presumed deep vein thrombophlebitis was followed by acute worsening of symptoms. On further evaluation the patient was found to have a ruptured Baker's cyst and an acute posterior compartment syndrome.
Posterior compartment...