A young male runner with a posterior knee mass--not just your typical Baker's cyst

Arthroscopic Resection for Extra-articular Ganglion Cysts of Gastrocnemius Near Vessels

Extra-articular ganglion cysts arising from the gastrocnemius tendon near popliteal vessels can cause pain and claudication. Open resection of this kind of cyst has been described frequently because the vessels can be well protected with a retractor. However, it's a challenge to remove cysts that are near vessels under arthroscopy, because a retractor cannot be used in arthroscopic surgery. This article will report a method of arthroscopic resection for extra-articular ganglion cysts near popliteal vessels.

Cystic adventitial disease of the popliteal vein and artery in siblings

Cystic adventitial disease (CAD) is an uncommon condition in which mucoid cysts form within the adventitial layer of the arterial or venous wall. We have presented two cases in which two first-degree relatives (brother and sister) had acquired CAD ∼6 years apart, one involving the popliteal artery and the other involving the popliteal vein. We have reported a rare case of a possible familial association of CAD. We have discussed the etiology, diagnostic criteria, and imaging modalities between arterial and venous CAD to aid in the management and selection of optimal treatment strategies.

Cystic adventitial disease of the popliteal artery presenting with features of entrapment syndrome

Cystic adventitial disease is an uncommon cause of lower extremity claudication resulting from accumulation of mucinous fluid in an arterial subadventitial layer, typically of the popliteal artery. A popliteal bruit and/or reduced distal pulses with knee flexion may be seen on examination. Alternatively, popliteal artery entrapment syndrome triggers claudication via an aberrant arterial pathway or muscular hypertrophy. Decreased distal pressures with plantar or dorsiflexion is a key finding. This report details the case of a middle-aged male with cystic adventitial disease whose diagnosis was complicated by concurrent features of popliteal artery entrapment syndrome. Treatment consisted of venous interposition grafting, which yielded excellent results.