Baker's Cyst and fluid in calf

CAN A BAKER'S CYST ALLOW JOINT FLUID TO LEAK INTO THE CALF?

I just had knee surgery to clean up the knee and trim two substantial tears of the meniscus.  I came home with a huge calf full of irrigation fluid.  While healing at home, it seemed the calf was more painful than the knee.  Not just the knee was bruised but the calf was as well.  Ten days after surger I went back to the hospital to have the calf checked, via ultra sound, for a clot.  It was decided that the pain and swelling were caused by a Baker's Cyst that had allowed fluid into the calf.  This fluid was supposedly responsible for swelling and cramping in the calf.

[Dr Vinod]

Hello!

Baker's cyst is a collection of synovial or joint fluid which has escaped from the knee joint or a bursa and formed a new synovial lined sac in the popliteal space or in the back of the knee seen in degenerative, ligament tears or other joint diseases.

Baker cysts can become complicated by protrusion of fluid down the leg between the muscles of the calf so this is what you are suffering from.

It can be resolved by removing excess of knee fluid and along with a cortisone injection.

Discuss with your orthopedic surgeon.

Take care!