Hygroma is a benign neoplasm that never develops into a malignant tumor. The formation consists of connective tissue with dense walls and with liquid escudate inside.
Nature of the problem
Externally, the hygroma is a small cone, which can be both motionless and freely move 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 practically invisible. But after some time, the formation begins to increase in size, while delivering pain and provoking a limitation of limb mobility.
The most common localization site for hygroma is the back of the wrist joint. Sometimes a hygroma appears on the fingers and hands, as well as on the ankle joint and foot. There are several methods to get rid of growth, but laser hygroma removal today is one of the most popular and common 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, which subsequently may occur regardless of whether the patient is active at the moment or is at rest.
- Disruption of the joint.
- The probability of a break.
- Suppuration of a hygroma.
- Discomfort, which is cosmetological in nature.
Contraindications
Despite the fact that such an education as a hygroma does not cause significant harm to the body and surgical intervention for this kind of pathology is quite simple, there are still a number of certain indications for which it is impossible to remove the hygroma with a laser:
- The presence of any oncological pathology.
- Infectious and viral diseases at the time of planning the operation.
- Blood clotting problems.
- 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 surgical treatment is required for its treatment, 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 the hygroma with a laser in St. Petersburg and other cities is a complete examination of the patient, including:
- General analysis of blood and urine.
- Inspection and palpation of the cyst - this way the doctor determines the size of the hygroma, looks at what condition it is in and what are the external signs of the pathology.
- Ultrasound examination 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 by palpation and ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging is prescribed.
- Hygroma is not among the malignant formations, 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 is the operation
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 tissues. Laser surgery minimizes the risk of any infection being introduced into the wound, and also prevents the possibility of heavy bleeding.
There are two ways to perform surgical intervention to remove hygroma by means of a laser beam. Both of them differ in the technique of the procedure.
- During the operation, the doctor dissects the tissue 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 spill 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. Sutures are removed after a week and a half.
- Another method to get rid of hygroma is called arthroscopic technique. During this intervention, two hygroma punctures are made from different sides. After one puncture, the doctor introduces a laser beam and burns out the capsule of formation. 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 you to remove after a few days.
The price of removing the hygroma on the wrist with a laser can vary from 5,000 to 15,000 rubles.
The recovery process after surgery
During the rehabilitation period, the patient should not be burdened with the operation site and involved in sports, that is, it is necessary to exclude all the loads that fall on the hygromic joint.
The fixing bandage can be removed only with the permission of the attending physician. The development of the joint begins gradually and not immediately after the operation, but after some time. The doctor may prescribe physiotherapeutic procedures, which include electrophoresis, massage.
Possible complications after surgery
After removal of the hygroma with a laser, very serious consequences rarely occur. 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 the hygroma, the risk of relapse is slightly 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 the laser operation.
Hygroma treatment 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 with which you can get rid of the neoplasm are: drug treatment, physiotherapy, puncture and surgery.
Conservative therapy
For the treatment of hygroma with the help of drug therapy, the use of non-steroidal, corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as the use of antihistamines, are widespread.
Puncture
Puncture can not completely relieve the patient of a developed neoplasm, since it is an auxiliary therapy and is carried out mainly after drug treatment, but before the intervention to remove the hygroma with a laser on a finger or on any other joint. It is worth noting that 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, then a syringe with a needle is inserted and all the liquid is sucked out of the hygromic cavity.
Physiotherapy
As a physiotherapeutic treatment of hygroma, such procedures are used as: ultra-high-frequency therapy, ultrasound irradiation, magnetotherapy, baths with salt and soda solutions.
Surgical intervention
Hygroma removal by this method is performed 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 see a doctor in time and carefully follow all the recommendations of a specialist, the only way to minimize the risk of complications and the reappearance of a hygroma.