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Original poster

Ganglion removal

21 replies

west3 · 10/06/2009 10:07

I have a medium sized ganglion (dr's words) on my left wrist/hand. Dr says she will refer me to surgeon for removal, waiting list is about 3-6mths long. Has anyone any experience of ganglion removal, what are the pros and cons? Tell me your stories, a don't spare the details as I really need to get the true picture. TIA

OP posts:

sb6699 · 10/06/2009 10:20

I had a ganglion removed but it was about 12 years ago now.

Was really easy. I don't remember there being any pain afterwards and my scar is just a faint line across the top of my hand.

slug · 10/06/2009 10:28

I had a small one on my left middle fingertip. It was removed in the Dr's surgery using silver nitrate sticks, with a plaster over the top. easy, painless and no more bleeding every time the damn thing was knocked.

Original poster

west3 · 10/06/2009 10:31

Thanks guys, this is def a surgery job. Just a bit reluctant at the moment but know it needs done as starting to give me problems.

OP posts:

sb6699 · 10/06/2009 10:56

FWIW I was in and out of the hospital within a couple of hours so its obviously a minor procedure as far the surgeons are concerned.

Sure it will be fine.

WindUpBird · 10/06/2009 11:04

Hi, my DD had this done a few months ago when she was 2.5. Hers was in her thumb. The op under GA took about half an hour and she was up and about immediately afterwards. The scar has healed beautifully and is invisible unless you know it's there. They may be able to do it under local anaesthetic for an adult?

sb6699 · 10/06/2009 11:09

Yes WindUpBird think they normally do it under local for an adult (but I was a wuss and asked for a general!)

TheDevilWearsPenneys · 10/06/2009 11:54

My DD has one on the back of her hand, I was told to just leave it.

Is there any reason why surgery is necessary ?(panicking now)

sb6699 · 10/06/2009 12:08

dont think the surgery is physically necessary in terms of health. In the olden days parents were just told to bang it with a bible if it got too big! I had mine for 10 years before removal.

the problem was that as I grew so did my ganglion. It became very unsightly and was forever banging it. Eventually it became painful to bend my wrist hence why it was eventually removed.

No need to panic!

slug · 10/06/2009 12:19

I had to have mine removed becausse it was on my fingertip and bled every time it was banged. This meant no typing, no catching wriggling toddlers, no gardening, no cooking etc. It just made life a pain.

madgebettany · 10/06/2009 14:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

west3 · 10/06/2009 16:32

Hi, sorry got called out to lend a hand with a friend's decorating project.
Reason surgery is recc for me is that the ganglion is giving me a constant ache in my wrist and if I overdue it my hand and wrist get really stiff and painful.
Def don't want GA though so will have to fight my corner if they start suggesting that. The driving could be a bit of an issue though - have to take dd and ds to school and nursery as we live in middle of nowhere and public transport is non-existent. Have tried walking it but roads are unsafe, poor visibility and no pavement/path.
Thanks for all your info so far, keep it coming though as every little bit is helping

OP posts:

CMOTdibbler · 10/06/2009 20:56

Have you had steroid/local anaesthetic injections into the area ?

Dh has a ganglion, and his surgeon tries 3 lots of injections before recommending surgery - he had the first one this evening and is moaning about how much it hurts currently

madgebettany · 10/06/2009 21:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheDuchessOfNorksBride · 10/06/2009 21:49

I had small one at the base of my index finger during 3rd pregnancy but it disappeared without treatment after a few weeks. It then popped back out during my last pregnancy and stayed for aaaaages, occasionally caused a bit of an ache, and I assumed that this time it would stay for good.

But this thread has made me realise that it's gone - and I hadn't even noticed.

FeelingOld · 10/06/2009 21:52

sorry about typing but i had my ganglion removed 4 days ago and my hand is bandaged!!

Mine was at the base of my index finger and was about the size of a pea, i had it removed under local anaesthetic and didnt feel anything until they stitched it.It took them about 20 mins cos they had to snip quite deep to get it out. Have not had any time off work but am thinking now i probably should have had 1 day off as it was quite sore to start with. Have stitches out in 2 days which is the bit i am dreading to be honest. Drove after about 48 hours.

littlelamb · 10/06/2009 21:54

Mine was on my wrist. I developed it when I was pregnant with dd and it was there on and off for about 4 years. I could squidge it back in, but after about two years it was rigid. I didn't want to get it removed, and the most the nurse could tell me was to hit it with a bible It disappeared completely when I was pregnant with ds, literally overnight.

DavidSussex · 10/06/2009 21:56

steroid injections don't work

ganglions have a 50% recurrence rate, but in children usually disappear on their own with time

they should be removed under GA, as they can go very deep, and surgery is MUCH easier if the surgeon can use a tourniquet (which isn't possible under local

Original poster

west3 · 11/06/2009 10:07

This is really great. Spoke with dh about it last night as obviously it would involve him being a taxi service to and from the hosp as well as being around for the kids throughout the week. DH works away during the week so it would involve him having a week of holiday time. I have decided to give it a few months to see if it settles down on its own, then revisit the idea of removal if I am still experiencing problems.

OP posts:

lazymumofteenagesons · 11/06/2009 19:01

Hit it with a heavy book. The bible is good.

eltham · 12/06/2009 10:12

drs prefer not to hit it these days in case things are damaged inside. I had one on inner rh wrist. My dr syringed it..greasy fluid came out and it went down after a few weeks. Completely gone now. Ask them to do this..it might avoid the surgery route. I read loads on it and there is quite a strong recurrence rate after surgery so didn't want to risk that.

daisybaby · 12/06/2009 10:43

I had one about 12 years ago, referred to hospital and was on the waiting list for it to be removed. The hospital Dr had jokingly said that people used to get rid of them by hitting them with a bible in the old days. Apparently this ruptures the capsule and they drain away.

So, I whacked it really hard with a very heavy DIY (!) book. Hurt a lot for a couple of hours, was a little bit sore for about 24 hours, then absolutely fine. It went and has not made a reappearance yet.

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