Ganglion

This is a gel filled sac that appears at the wrist. The cause is unknown. It is more common on the back of the wrist than the front. They can be of varying sizes. In some patients they may cause considerable discomfort.

They are best treated conservatively with the use of non steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen. They can be aspirated with a needle but this carries a high recurrence rate. They can also be excised surgically, but again with a high recurrence rate.