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Bone Cysts - Knee Area
I am a 53 yr old female, who danced & taught Ballet for 36 yrs, now retired. I also have MS & RA. 15 yrs ago, I had arthroscopic surgery on my left knee for torn cartilage; I've never had any problems w/ that knee since. Until several months ago.
I started getting pain in the left knee again, & to me, it felt a lot like the pain I had w/ the cartilage 15 yrs ago - pain & weakness in the inside front of the knee joint (just inside from the kneecap), a feeling in the back of the knee like it had been snapped w/ a rubber band. My rheumotologist ordered an MRI, which showed that the cartilage was once again starting to "fray" (his words). A cortisone shot helped for about 6 - 8 mos before the pain started to come back again. My family dr did another injection, which didn't help as much. The pain increased about a month ago, & my family dr thought I'd torn one of the ligaments that holds the kneecap in place. He sent me to an orthopedic surgeon, who thought it was the cartilage. An MRI 2 wks ago showed that it was neither - that it was bone cysts, in the upper tibia & lower femur. He said nothing much could be done for it, other than more cortisone shots, synvisc shots, & 2 other types of injections (don't remember their names - they're usually done along w/ the synvisc, each one a wk apart). He said that's all that could be done, until the day came when I'd need a total knee replacement.
I'm still a fairly active person (my MS is extremely mild R/R, & my RA is very well controlled), so this news horrified me.
Is it true that nothing can be done, other than what my orthopedic surgeon told me - injections until I need a knee replacement? Is there nothing that can help them actually heal, or that can at least kill the pain? The cortisone injection I had when I received this dx (a wk ago Fri) did absolutely *nothing* for my knee - it hurts worse every day, & it's really got me worried & frightened.
Any suggestions or input is welcomed.
Lin
I started getting pain in the left knee again, & to me, it felt a lot like the pain I had w/ the cartilage 15 yrs ago - pain & weakness in the inside front of the knee joint (just inside from the kneecap), a feeling in the back of the knee like it had been snapped w/ a rubber band. My rheumotologist ordered an MRI, which showed that the cartilage was once again starting to "fray" (his words). A cortisone shot helped for about 6 - 8 mos before the pain started to come back again. My family dr did another injection, which didn't help as much. The pain increased about a month ago, & my family dr thought I'd torn one of the ligaments that holds the kneecap in place. He sent me to an orthopedic surgeon, who thought it was the cartilage. An MRI 2 wks ago showed that it was neither - that it was bone cysts, in the upper tibia & lower femur. He said nothing much could be done for it, other than more cortisone shots, synvisc shots, & 2 other types of injections (don't remember their names - they're usually done along w/ the synvisc, each one a wk apart). He said that's all that could be done, until the day came when I'd need a total knee replacement.
I'm still a fairly active person (my MS is extremely mild R/R, & my RA is very well controlled), so this news horrified me.
Is it true that nothing can be done, other than what my orthopedic surgeon told me - injections until I need a knee replacement? Is there nothing that can help them actually heal, or that can at least kill the pain? The cortisone injection I had when I received this dx (a wk ago Fri) did absolutely *nothing* for my knee - it hurts worse every day, & it's really got me worried & frightened.
Any suggestions or input is welcomed.
Lin
What causes a bone cyst in the knee ? I have had an m r I done on my knee and the results came back to say that I have a well defined T2 hyperintensity consistent with a bone cyst in the medullary bone of the distal femur , could you break this down in laymans terms for me please , so I can better understand .
1 Comments
Hello anyone please
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello!
At your age it is very important to diagnose the bone cyst. If it is a benign cyst then you can wait. Benign tumors are simple solitary bone cyst, aneurysmal bone cyst or non ossifying fibromas commonly.
If you have a bone tumor then it is in no way related to the knee replacement which is suggested. If the orthopedician wants to combine both in a surgery then you have to discuss with him.
For arthritis and for cartilage damage the bones rub on one another and you have this pain due to degeneration and you have this chronic pain.
You can try conservatively with DMARDs, NSAIDs, narcotic drugs, steroid injections, hyaluronidase injections, physiotherapy, acupuncture etc and if this does not work finally you need a knee replacement surgery.
Take care!
At your age it is very important to diagnose the bone cyst. If it is a benign cyst then you can wait. Benign tumors are simple solitary bone cyst, aneurysmal bone cyst or non ossifying fibromas commonly.
If you have a bone tumor then it is in no way related to the knee replacement which is suggested. If the orthopedician wants to combine both in a surgery then you have to discuss with him.
For arthritis and for cartilage damage the bones rub on one another and you have this pain due to degeneration and you have this chronic pain.
You can try conservatively with DMARDs, NSAIDs, narcotic drugs, steroid injections, hyaluronidase injections, physiotherapy, acupuncture etc and if this does not work finally you need a knee replacement surgery.
Take care!
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