# If you've thought about surgery for that lump on your wrist...



## hanshananigan (May 15, 2006)

...and it's due to a "ganglion cyst," it was definitely the right move for me!

I had off/on again wrist pain since my early 20s that really impacted my ability to do all sorts of stuff, including standard push-ups (I've done "fist" ones for years) and weakened wrist during MTB. I started getting a noticeable lump on my wrist about 5 years ago and, when my son was born a few years ago, the pain and lump was almost ever-present (I think from holding up a 20-lb kid all the time). 

It was a hard decision, and one I've put off for years, but I finally went under the knife about a year ago, and have had no pain since! I hardly ride anymore (since kid #2 and hip labral tear, but that's another post) but I have no problem doing anything with my hand/arm/wrist. I am an idiot for waiting this long!

Just saying, for those who might be of the same mind. I hear it's not terribly uncommon.


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## 135 Crewchief (Feb 1, 2012)

Yup. My brother-in-law was the same way. He had one for years before finally bighting the bullet and getting it removed. Once he did, he wanted to kick himself for not doing it sooner.


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## pursuiter (May 28, 2008)

I had a bad one years ago, the hand surgeon used a needle to pull all the contents, then he needle stabbed the cyst in a bunch of locations to scar up the area. Never came back. He said this usually works, next step was surgery,. A little hairy on local but glad I tried it before going under the knife.


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## cigarlover (Oct 24, 2011)

You tube it- I think I once saw some people smashing that with a book and the cyst disappeared  kind of gave me the willies watching them slam a big book down on a huge cyst !! but still had a bit of cool factor to it


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## INeedGears! (Jul 29, 2010)

I had the surgery as well. The procedure was painful but after years of the cyst coming back and the weakness in the wrist it was well worth it! I have a tiny scar on my wrist and absolutely no other problems with it


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## In-Yo-Grill (Jul 19, 2011)

cigarlover said:


> You tube it- I think I once saw some people smashing that with a book and the cyst disappeared  kind of gave me the willies watching them slam a big book down on a huge cyst !! but still had a bit of cool factor to it


I had one when I was a teenager and did this. After taking a dictionary to it I never had a problem with it again.


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## Brewtality (Jul 25, 2007)

My brother had one of those, but his was in the middle of his middle finger. It looked funny when he flipped people off.


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## hanshananigan (May 15, 2006)

cigarlover said:


> You tube it- I think I once saw some people smashing that with a book and the cyst disappeared  kind of gave me the willies watching them slam a big book down on a huge cyst !! but still had a bit of cool factor to it


Yeah- ganglion cysts in folksy terms has been called a "Bible bump" because a big, hard-bound Bible was often the only book in the house and did a fine job of smashing cysts. I smashed my cyst several times and had it drained (a doc can lance it or use a needle to drain it followed by a steroid injection) a few times but wasn't one of the lucky ones who had no re-occurrence. The problem is that the structural problems that allow the cyst remain after smashing or draining (and some would say that smashing can cause other problems).


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## Nick_Good (Jan 27, 2011)

I had one on my left wrist. I had surgery several years ago to remove it. Glad i did, no more pain!


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## ttvrdik (Dec 28, 2004)

Go to a doc and have him/her take a look at it, and then have the doc hit it with a mallet.


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## cigarlover (Oct 24, 2011)

In-Yo-Grill said:


> I had one when I was a teenager and did this. After taking a dictionary to it I never had a problem with it again.


What was the pain like when you smashed it ?? and did you do it or have a friend do it ??


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## In-Yo-Grill (Jul 19, 2011)

cigarlover said:


> What was the pain like when you smashed it ?? and did you do it or have a friend do it ??


This was a DYI procedure. I don't remember any pain other than the smashing of the book on my wrist. I just rubbed it until it disappeared. It came back one more time but I went ahead and smashed it before it got too big and never saw it again.


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## bme107 (Jul 23, 2008)

I had the surgery a little over 8 years ago. The cyst was on the tendon from my middle finger that passes back under the wrist bones to the radius/ulna. It was fine if I had my finger curled like in a fist, but when I straightened it the cyst would ride back under the wrist bones and cause pain. From the outside it looked to be the size of a pea.

Went to my Dr's outpatient facility to get it removed. Thought it would be a short procedure where they strapped my arm down to a table off to the side of a chair, maybe a little local anesthesia and I'd head home in an hour. Actually had to get in a gown, hair net, IV etc..... Dr and Anesthesiologist came in to have a little pre-op conference and for me to sign in sharpie on the wrist the surgery was to be on. Now I'm getting a little freaked out about this little outpatient procedure. Anesthesiologist asks if I'm nervous and if he can get me something for it. After that all I remember is one blink of my eyes as they are pushing me down the hallway past some construction workers doing something to the wall and an other blink in the OR itself when the bed stopped moving.

I've since had other far more invasive procedures where all I had was a local and walked to/from the OR myself.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

my cousin had surgery on one of those in his foot years ago. it was pretty debilitating before the surgery, but no recurrences.


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## SlowbutSure (May 11, 2010)

I had the exact same thing on my left wrist. It was real irritating when riding or wake boarding. I had it lanced but that didn't help for long so I had the surgery. Been great ever since. If you have one get it fixed and you will be glad you did.


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## CarbonSquirrel (Oct 10, 2009)

I got one removed a couple of years ago. It popped a couple of times before the surgery. Banged it on the bus once and it popped spreading the liquid inside under the skin in my hand, was a bit weird but it went for about 6 months then came back.
My surgery was under local anaesthetic and was pretty interesting to watch. They drained and torniqued my arm and put a drip in the my other hand. Gave me some nice drugs and then started carving. It didn't take very long but I could see my tendons once they took it out. Whatever drugs they gave me didn't shut me up 'cos I was babbling to the surgeons constantly.
Either way, when they took it out it looked like a weird lightly blue marble, but had loads of little ones hanging off of it. The surgeon said that it was a good move to remove it because of the additional ones connected to the main one. It expanded loads once it was out of my wrist (about 2 and a bit cm in diameter), it didn't feel that big when it was in there.

Glad to be rid of it


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## firebike7 (Aug 21, 2008)

I had one on my big toe and had it surgically removed. Everything was fine while I was asleep until I realized the painful dream I was having was really the doctor cutting on me as I was coming out of the anestetic. Needless to say he and the Anes. were really surprised when I asked him the middle of surgery how much longer he had because it was really hurting! He said he was sorry, as most people do not come out like that but he had to finish and could not put me back under. Needless to say, that was a very interesting few minutes as he finished up. But it has been great since.


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