Unusual Presentation of a Ganglionic Cyst in the Posterior Shoulder: A Case Report

Tanios M, Andrews K, Stokey P*, Stirton J, Chen E and Ebraheim N

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, USA

^*Correspondance to: Phillip Stokey 

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Abstract:

Shoulder pain is among the top reasons for visiting an orthopedic surgeon in the United States. With
several common etiologies, shoulder pathology is often a straight forward diagnosis. Unfortunately,
rare causes can be mistaken for pre-existing disease. Ganglions are well known to occur in the
dorsum of the hands, the wrists, and knees, but have rarely been reported in the literature at other
areas such as the shoulder. Here we report the unique case of a 68-year-old Caucasian male who
presented with nonspecific symptoms of right shoulder pain and swelling with a large cystic mass.
CT-guided aspiration resulted in significant reduction of cyst size and symptomatic improvement.
Growing evidence indicates that ganglionic cysts should be considered in the differential diagnosis
of shoulder pathology. Unfortunately, the etiology of ganglionic cysts remains unclear and the
diagnosis requires clinical and radiologic assessment. The invention and now widespread use of
MRI has enabled imaging of soft tissue masses including these ganglions, and can show structural
involvement of the mass. While conservative medical management is often used, it carries a
significant likelihood for recurrence. Ultrasound or CT-guided aspiration has now emerged as a
viable option for therapeutic intervention.

Keywords:

Ganglion cyst; Shoulder pain; Histology; Mass; Recurrence

Cite the Article:

Tanios M, Andrews K, Stokey P, Stirton J, Chen E, Ebraheim N. Unusual Presentation of a Ganglionic Cyst in the Posterior Shoulder: A Case Report. World J Surg Surgical Res. 2020; 3: 1218..