When Does a Ganglion Cyst in the Foot Need Surgery by San Francisco Podiatrist.m4v

This video explains when a ganglion cyst in the foot actually needs to have surgery to remove it. By Dr. Christopher Segler, a foot surgeon in San Francisco. The location of the ganglion within your foot has a lot to do with how likely it is that you will have to have surgery to remove the ganglion.

The most common location for a ganglion cyst in the foot is actually in the top of the foot as seen here in the midfoot. But ganglion cyst can also happen at the ankle joint as you see here. The big toe joint is another common location for a ganglion. Some patients will even get a ganglion cyst at two locations at once as you can see here at the big toe joint and the little toe joint on the top of the foot. But not all of these ganglion's will need surgery and will talk about which ones need surgery and why.

There are really three reasons that a ganglion cyst will need surgery. The first reason is that the ganglion is painful. The second reason is that the ganglion cyst is so big that it can make it difficult to wear shoes. And the third reason is that the ganglion cyst is pushing on a nerve and it can actually cause permanent nerve damage.

This ganglion cyst has been rubbing inside a shoe and the skin is red and irritated. Once a ganglion cyst in the foot becomes painful, it may be necessary to have ganglion surgery to remove it.

Burning, tingling and numbness in the foot are all signs that the ganglion cyst is pushing directly on a nerve. The red line shows the course of the proper digital nerve that goes out to the big toe. The ganglion is clearly right in the way, compressing the nerve. When a ganglion compresses one of the nerves in the foot, surgery may be necessary to prevent nerve damage, permanent numbness, or chronic pain.

This picture was taken just before surgery to remove the ganglion on the top if the foot was pushing on a nerve causing tingling and burning pain when ever she wore shoes.

When you look at the foot from the side you can imaging how the shoes push down on then ganglion and pinch the nerve that is between the bump and the shoe.

But again, not all ganglions need to be removed. This is a large ganglion in the ankle and there is a nerve under there, but the nerve is so deep that the ganglion is not actually pushing on the nerve and the its causing no pain in the foot and no tingling in the foot at all.

The other fortunate thing about this ganglion is that is high enough in the ankle that the shoes don't even push against it. So even though you can see it sticking out its not getting irritated at all.

This patient actually has two ganglion cysts on the top of the foot. But if you look you can see where those ganglions are rubbing against this one particular shoe when she dances. She can still run without pain and she is not having any numbness or tingling.

So as long as she can find a pair of shoes to dance in that will no rub on the ganglions and cause discomfort, she should not have to have surgery in order to remove the ganglions.

Reasons to consider surgery for a ganglion in the foot is if it is painful, you are having burning or tingling sensations, or if the ganglion is too big to fit into shoes,
or if we drain it and the ganglion comes back.

If you think you have a ganglion cyst in the foot and you are unsure about whether or not you think it will need surgery, you can call and speak directly to a ganglion expert to determine whether or not ganglion surgery is necessary for you.