DORSAL WRIST GANGLION

Objectives: To evaluate and compare the effect of aspiration plus methylprednisone injection versus surgical excision of the dorsal wrist ganglions in terms of resolution,complications and recurrence. Study Design: Prospective study. Setting: Surgical wardHayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar. Period: June 2009 to December 2011. Methodology:After taking permission from ethical and research committee. Included patients were all adult ofboth gender with dorsal wrist ganglion. Patients with cancer, bleeding disorders and diabeteswere excluded from the study. The patients were divided in two groups: Group A includedpatients for aspiration and injection treatment, while Group B included patients underwentsurgical excision. All the patients were followed for complete resolution of ganglion, anycomplications of treatment and recurrence within one year. Follow up arranged at 7th day, 1,3, 6 and 12 months. Results: Total of 80 patients was included in the study. Out of 80, 65%(n=52) were females while 35% (n=28) were males. The mean age was 26.37±5.62 years.Group A and group B patients had overall success rates of 75% and 95%, with recurrence of25% and 5% in group A and group B respectively. In methylprednisolone group, mild pain wasreported by 70% (n=28), while in the surgical excision group, all the patients experienced mildto moderate pain postoperatively which necessitated oral analgesics for few days. Conclusion:Surgical excision is superior to injection-aspiration method for dorsal wrist ganglion treatmentbecause of high success and low recurrence rate. As injection-aspiration treatment