Hygroma is a benign neoplasm that never develops into a malignant tumor. The formation consists of connective tissue with dense walls and liquid escudate inside.
The essence of the problem
Externally, the hygroma is a small bump that can be either motionless or move freely under the skin. The size of the formation varies from 0.5 mm to 4 cm. At an early stage, the hygroma does not cause the patient any discomfort and is virtually invisible. But after a while, the formation begins to increase in size, while delivering pain and provoking a limitation of limb mobility.
The most common location of hygroma is the back of the wrist joint. Sometimes hygroma appears on the fingers and hands, as well as on the ankle and foot. There are several methods of getting rid of the build-up, but laser hygroma removal today is one of the most popular andcommon ways to solve this problem.
Indications for removal of hygroma
Indications for surgical intervention to remove hygroma are:
- The rapid increase in the size of education.
- Pain that may subsequently occur regardless of whether the patient is currently active or at rest.
- Disruption of the joint.
- Probability of breakup.
- Suppuration of hygroma.
- Discomfort of a cosmetic nature.
Contraindications
Despite the fact that such a formation as a hygroma does not cause significant harm to the body and surgery for this kind of pathology is quite simple, there are still a number of certain indications for which laser hygroma removal cannot be performed:
- Presence of any oncological pathology.
- Infectious and viral diseases at the time of planning the operation.
- Problems with blood clotting.
- Diseases of the endocrine system - goiter, diabetes mellitus.
- Any dermatological diseases in the area affected by hygroma.
Pregnant women and nursing mothers are also contraindicated in the procedure for laser removal of hygroma.
Preparation for surgery
No matter how simple the disease may seem at first glance, if for its treatmentsurgery is required, there is always a risk of any postoperative complications. To minimize it, you need to carefully prepare for the upcoming operation.
Preparation for surgery to remove hygroma with a laser in St. Petersburg and other cities is a complete examination of the patient, which includes:
- Complete blood and urine tests.
- Examination and palpation of the cyst - in this way the doctor determines the size of the hygroma, sees what condition it is in and what are the external signs of pathology.
- Ultrasound helps to determine the structure and location of the tumor relative to the tendons.
- In some cases, when the exact location of the hygroma cannot be obtained through palpation and ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging is prescribed.
- Hygroma is not a malignant formation, but during the examination, a biopsy of the tissues of the cystic formation is performed to accurately exclude the presence of malignant cells in them.
How the operation is performed
The procedure for removing hygroma with a laser on the wrist and other joints is in many ways similar to conventional surgery, but in this case, instead of a scalpel, a laser beam is used to cut tissue. Surgical intervention with a laser minimizes the risk of infection in the wound, and also prevents the possibility of heavy bleeding.
There istwo ways to conduct surgery to remove hygroma using a laser beam. Both of them differ in the technique of the procedure.
- During the operation, the doctor dissects the tissues with a laser beam, after which the hygroma is separated from the joint and tendon. This must be done very carefully so that the liquid inside the capsule does not begin to pour out and fall on nearby tissues. After the formation is removed, the wound is sutured, a bandage is applied to the arm, which must be changed daily. The stitches are removed after a week and a half.
- Another method to get rid of hygroma is called arthroscopic technique. During such an intervention, two hygroma punctures are made from different sides. Through one puncture, the doctor introduces a laser beam and burns out the formation capsule. And through the second specialist, using a syringe, extracts the contents of the capsule. After the procedure, a bandage is simply applied to the affected area, which the doctor allows to be removed after a few days.
The price of removing hygroma on the wrist with a laser can vary from 5,000 to 15,000 rubles.
Recovery process after surgery
During the rehabilitation period, the patient should not load the operation site and play sports, that is, it is necessary to exclude all the loads that fall on the joint affected by hygroma.
The fixing bandage can only be removed with the permission of the attending physician. The development of the joint begins to be carried out gradually and not immediately afteroperation, and after some time. The doctor may prescribe physiotherapy procedures, which include electrophoresis, massage.
Possible complications after surgery
After removing the hygroma with a laser, there are very rarely any serious consequences. The most common is the appearance of pain and swelling of the operated joint. In the reviews, patients note that these unpleasant signs disappear on their own a day after surgery.
It should be noted that after laser removal of hygroma, the risk of recurrence is somewhat greater than after surgery. This is due to the fact that after surgery, the junction of the formation with the joint is sutured, which is not provided during laser surgery.
Treatment of hygroma in other ways
Hygroma therapy can be carried out by other methods, the choice of which depends on the size of the tumor and its location. The main methods by which you can get rid of the neoplasm are: drug treatment, physiotherapy, puncture and surgery.
Conservative Therapy
For the treatment of hygroma with drug therapy, the use of nonsteroidal, corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as the use of antihistamines, is widespread.
Puncture
Puncture cannot completely rid the patient of a developed neoplasm, since it is an auxiliarytherapy and is carried out mainly after drug treatment, but before the intervention to remove the hygroma with a laser on the finger or on any other joint. It is worth noting that the puncture quite often leads to the fact that the hygroma disappears for a while.
Before the procedure, the affected area is treated with an antiseptic preparation, then a syringe with a needle is inserted and all liquid is sucked out of the hygroma cavity.
Physiotherapy
As a physiotherapeutic treatment for hygroma, procedures such as ultra-high frequency therapy, ultrasound irradiation, magnetotherapy, baths with saline and soda solutions are used.
Surgery
Removal of hygroma by this method is done in the same way as with a laser, except that a scalpel is used instead of a laser.
As practice and reviews on laser hygroma removal in Moscow and other Russian cities show, the prognosis of such therapy is very favorable. The main thing is to consult a doctor in time and carefully follow all the recommendations of a specialist, this is the only way to minimize the risk of complications and the reappearance of hygroma.
