What is a cyst Becker and the reasons of its occurrence

Becker Cyst (better yet Baker) - a cyst located in the popliteal fossa and arose as a result of inflammation in the knee joint. Bekker's cyst is formed as a result of the fact that the inflammatory fluid from the knee joint through the narrow slit-like holes penetrates the mucous tendon bag separating tendons that attach to the popliteal fossa. As a result of the inflammatory process pouch increases in size, there is pain and impaired movement in the knee joint. Often there is a bilateral cyst Becker. Cyst localized predominantly on the inner side of the popliteal fossa.

Popliteal cyst Becker identified in inflammatory processes in the knee joint (eg rheumatoid arthritis), exchange-distrficheskih changes in the joints, including developing after injury.

How does Bekker's cyst and possible complications of this disease

At the beginning of the disease Baker's cyst can occur unnoticed or cause a certain discomfort. But as it grows are pressed surrounding nerves, causing pain, numbness, or tingling in the soles of the feet, and limitation of movement, mainly knee flexion. Sometimes bending and broken toes.

In some cases, the cyst is visible to the eye in the form of protrusions in the popliteal fossa. When probing can detect dense elastic few painful tumor formation in the popliteal fossa.

For example, Becker at break inflammatory cyst fluid therefrom enters the back of the leg muscles and exert their pain and increase in volume. The cyst can compress the veins of the lower leg, causing them to blood stasis, inflammation of the walls of the veins and the formation of blood clots. In some cases, this gap may cause thrombus occlusion of major blood vessels such as the pulmonary artery, which causes instantaneous death. Rupture of blood vessels can cause severe bleeding. Finally, squeezing the muscles, nerves and blood vessels can cause compression syndrome (compartment syndrome), which will lead to serious consequences for the function of the limb as a whole with the development of osteomyelitis (inflammation of the bone), soft tissue necrosis, and so on.

Diagnosis of cysts Becker

Cyst Becker has typical symptoms, however, to clarify the diagnosis is usually carried out the following studies:

• ultrasound of the knee;
• knee arthroscopy - a joint inspection of the cavity using a special device - the arthroscope, while the joint cavity enter the tube, and the image is transferred to the screen;
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - this is the most informative, but not always available method of investigation, due to the shortage of necessary equipment.

Treatment of cysts Becker

Treatment of popliteal cyst or cysts Becker can be conservative and surgical.

Conservative treatment for cysts Becker is its puncture (puncture) with the removal of the contents and the subsequent introduction of the cyst cavity steroid (eg, hydrocortisone). If at the time of treatment, there are signs of a disease of the knee joint, it is also treatable.

The indications for surgical treatment of cysts Becker are its large size, the restriction of knee flexion, compression of popliteal blood vessels, nerves and soft tissues, failure of conservative treatment. Such cysts are removed under local anesthetic with mucous tendon bags in which they were formed. To this end, over the cyst incision a few centimeters in length, allocate the cyst, its location messages from the cavity of the knee are stitched and bandaged, after which the cyst is removed.

Sometimes surgery is performed using an arthroscope. It is less traumatic, as it requires three small incisions are of equal length to the diameter of the tube, introduced into the joint cavity.

Cysts popliteal area to be treated, as they can give serious complications, up to the death of patients. Prevent the formation of cysts is the timely adequate treatment of diseases of the knee joint.

Galina Romanenko

How to start

Usually the disease begins with the appearance of pain, stiffness and stiffness in the lumbar spine, which is often regarded as a manifestation of sciatica Sciatica - ask for help in a timely manner . Often the pain is given in the buttocks, gluteal folds at the back of the thighs. Unlike sciatica pain and stiffness in the spine when ankylosing spondylitis marked and at rest, in the morning and decreases with movement, sometimes disappearing in the afternoon (the so-called inflammatory nature of pain). Special concern cause pain at night, forcing the patient to wake up and start to move with the purpose of facilitation. On the morning of such patients need time to "break."

How is

Over time, the inflammatory process extends to the overlying parts of the spine, as well as edge-vertebral joints that causes chest pain Chest pain: look for the cause   or girdling pains that are aggravated by deep breathing and coughing.

Gradually increases the protective back muscle strain, thereby flattening the spine (the natural lumbar protrusion of the spine forward smoothed). Develops limited mobility of the spine in all directions. For muscle tension gradually joined by fusion of the intervertebral joints and stiffness, rigidity of the intervertebral discs and the formation of the so-called bony bridges between the vertebrae.

With the progression of ankylosing spondylitis patient may be formed "supplicant posture": pronounced kyphosis (protrusion of the back hump) of the thoracic spine, tilting the head down and bending the legs at the knee joints (leg flexion movement compensates for body weight in front).

Changes in the joints and internal organs

More than half of the patients involved in the process joints, arthritis Arthritis - a variety of forms and complications   can occur at the outset of the disease. It affects mainly large and medium-sized joints of the lower extremities, but it can be and shoulder, sternoclavicular, edge-sternum, temporomandibular, joints of fingers and toes, and others. The defeat of the hip joints often leads to restriction of movement.

The disease can capture and other organs and systems. A typical eye disease, kidney and lung, inflammation of the walls of the aorta.

Diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis

Although the typical pattern of the disease, the diagnosis is often made late, when it formed the spine immobility.

The diagnosis can be set on the basis of specific complaints of the patient, his physician examination, laboratory tests of blood (expressed signs of inflammation in general and biochemical analysis of blood), the data of X-ray studies of the spine and joints involved.

Treatment

Treatment of ankylosing spondylitis holds a rheumatologist, it must be comprehensive, long, landmark (hospital - sanatorium - health center). The main importance are anti-inflammatory drugs and the constant insistence tailor-made exercises aimed at increasing the mobility of the spine. Selection means are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (indomethacin, voltaren Voltaren - relieve inflammation and pain   and etc.). In some cases joined by steroid hormones.

Particular attention is paid to strengthening the muscles of the back, shows their regular massage and physiotherapy. The bed should be rigid, better sleep without a pillow. Physiotherapy with individual selection of exercises should be carried out twice a day. Since ankylosing spondylitis is very important back muscle strain, then held special training sessions where patients learn to relax those muscles. All you need to engage in regular exercise. Recommended as skiing and swimming, strengthens the muscles of the back and buttocks.

Ankylosing spondylitis - a serious, progressive disease, it's hard to cope with. Nevertheless, to prevent the complete immobility of the spine it is possible, but it requires hard heavy daily work.

  Galina Romanenko