What is a Baker’s Cyst?

On several occasions in medical transcription, we come across the term Baker’s cyst/popliteal cyst. We might not have found time to know the term in detail or were not interested just like that. Let’s have a quick look at it now. Just before getting on to what’s a Baker’s cyst, here’s the knee joint anatomy in short.

The knee joint is where the femur (thigh bone) meets the tibia (shin bone). A smooth and glossy cushion of articular cartilage covers the end surfaces of both of these bones so that they slide against one another smoothly. The articular cartilage is kept slippery by joint fluid made by the joint lining, the synovial membrane. The fluid is contained in a soft tissue enclosure around the knee joint called the joint capsule.

What is a Baker’s cyst?

A Baker’s cyst or a popliteal cyst is a swelling caused by collection of synovial fluid which has escaped from the knee joint, protruding to the popliteal area/back of the knee and formed a new synovial-fluid lined sac in the popliteal space. It can often be seen as a soft, often painless bump at the back of the knee.

Baker’s cyst synonyms:

Popliteal cyst, popliteal fossa cyst, posterior herniation of the knee joint, synovial cyst, gastrocnemius semimembranosus bursa.

What are Baker’s cyst symptoms?

Baker’s cyst symptoms include swelling, tenderness, feeling of fullness/bulge in the area behind the knee, which may be associated with aching.

How does a Baker’s cyst occur?

Baker’s cysts can occur when the lining of the knee joint produces too much fluid as in degenerative or other joint diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis that produce increased amounts of synovial fluid. It can also be after effect of trauma or repetitive activities leading to overuse of knee joint resulting in meniscus or ligamentous injuries. A Baker’s cyst is usually a symptom of another problem. Note that it’s not a blood clot.

Will Baker’s cyst spread to other parts of body?

A Baker’s cyst is not a growth like a tumor or cancer and cannot spread to other parts of the body. It’s just the escape of synovial/joint fluid to form a separate sac due to some of the causes listed above.

How is a Baker’s cyst diagnosed?

Baker’s cyst diagnosis initially is done by physical examination by a physician to find/palpate a bulge at the back of the knee. If the cyst has ruptured, a MRI, ultrasound or an arthrogram as found appropriate by the doctor may be needed to assess the severity of the situation.

What are Baker’s cyst treatments?

Baker’s cyst treatment can be classified into two types, surgical and nonsurgical. The treatment to be adopted depends on factors like whether the cyst has ruptured or not, how much painful the cyst is, or how much it interferes with the regular use of the knee. Unless there’s a lot of discomfort from the cyst, surgery is rarely required.

Nonsurgical Baker’s cyst treatments includes rest, keeping your leg propped up for several days, massage treatments by physiotherapist, compression wraps/elastic bandage, electrical stimulation to reduce knee swelling, antiinflammatory medications and cortisone injections. It may even recede on its own. In some cases, placing a needle directly into the Baker’s cyst to drain the fluid can be helpful. Unfortunately, in some cases, the fluid within the Baker’s cyst can be jelly-like and can be difficult to remove through a needle. Nonsurgical treatments are usually most effective when the underlying cause of the cyst is addressed i.e., the effects of arthritis, gout or injury to the knee is controlled. If conservative treatments fail to correct the cyst, an operation can be performed. The operation may be done to correct the cause of the Baker’s cyst or to excise the cyst itself.

Can Baker’s cyst be prevented?

So far, there’s no hard and fast rule or ergonomics to prevent a Baker’s cyst formation.

Related Posts:

• How To Prevent Inguinal Hernia?