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Baker's Cyst

Posts to Ask Dr Stoll BB regarding Baker's Cyst

There have been several posts to the Ask Dr Stoll
Bulletin Board (BB) regarding Baker's Cyst.
Many of them have been archived here. The archive is roughly
chronological. I hope you find it useful.

Baker's Cyst Summary:

A Baker's Cyst forms when the joint capsule of the Knee joint tears and allows the joint (synovial) fluid to leak out, Therefore the name "cyst" is a misnomer for this phenomenon. Classically, the term cyst is reserved for pockets lined with secretory cells that continue forming the fluid inside the cyst. This is NOT the case in a Baker's.

In a Baker's Cyst, the fluid that leaks out is just contained in the tissue spaces of the leg and puts pressure on those tissues. ALL of the fluid is produced, still, inside the knee joint.

THEREFORE, unless the tear in the joint capsule is found at surgery, and repaired, of course it will recur! Most surgeons do not bother with the tear. They just remove the fluid sac that has been formed by the leakage. What, then, will prevent the "cyst" from forming again??

Finally, why did the joint capsule tear? Arthritis is caused by several mechanisms, many of which greatly increase the pressure within the joint. Can you imagine how THAT might cause a tear (rupture) in the capsule?? See the fibromyositis/arthritis archive for these mechanisms.

Dealing with the causes of arthritis will go a long way towards preventing the recurrance of a Baker's Cyst.

Walt Stoll, MD

Here is a link to the thread in which Dr Stoll goes into
some detail on

what causes Bakers Cyst, and treatment options.
 It is probably best to start with that.

Choose an archive:

1998: Apr May Jun Jul Aug

Choose a thread of archived posts:

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