Surgical Treatment of Dorsal Carpal Ganglions: A Retrospective Clinical Trial

Objectives Our primary goal in this study was to investigate whether the surgical treatment we performed on the patients with dorsal carpal ganglion was effective rather than evaluating preoperative and postoperative functional results. Methods The retrospective study included patients who were operated with open technique due to dorsal wrist ganglion at a single center between March 1, 2015, and December 1, 2017, and were followed for at least six months. Thirty-three wrists of 32 patients (31 unilateral and 1 bilateral) were operated. During follow-ups, complication rates, patient satisfaction, and recurrence rates were evaluated. Results Of the 32 patients, 19 were females and 13 were males. Mean age of the patients was 38.6 +/- 13.0 years (min-max = 19-60 years). Excision was performed on 28 right and 5 left wrists. The follow-up period of patients varied between 6 months and 38 months (mean = 21.7 +/- 9.4 months). Recurrence was detected in four (12.5%) patients during the postoperative period. Complex regional pain syndrome occurred in two (6.25%) patients. Joint stiffness developed in six (18.75%) patients during the postoperative period. When recurrent cases were excluded from our cases, the satisfaction rate was 87.5%. Conclusions Open surgical excision has satisfactory results that cannot be achieved with conservative treatment in the treatment of symptomatic dorsal ganglia. In order to keep the recurrence rate at the minimum level after surgery, it is critical to excise the ganglion and pedicle without leaving any residual tissue. Proper surgical technique improves patient satisfaction by eliminating pain and cosmetic discomfort.