Excision of the Ganglion Cyst

The first description of the ganglion cyst is credited to Hippocrates, who described these lesions as "...flabby ganglionic tumors, containing only mucoid flesh..." Interestingly, this original description was quite accurate, and little more has been discovered about these soft tissue masses in recent medical times. Ganglion cysts have been reported extensively in the medical literature. Controversy, with respect to the pathogenesis of these lesions is reflected in the variety of terms used to describe them, as many synonymous terms have been used to describe a similar condition. (Table 1)