Routine histopathologic examination is unnecessary for wrist ganglion excision

Abstract

Background The purpose of this retrospective study was to assess the necessity of routine histopathologic examination of a wrist ganglion and its effect on the provisional clinical diagnosis. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 57 consecutive patients who had surgical excision of a wrist ganglion and routine histopathologic examination of the tissue between May, 2008, and May, 2010. The medical records were reviewed to obtain patients' demographic data, clinical history, physical examination findings, imaging findings (if ordered), preoperative provisional diagnosis, and pathology reports. Intraoperative findings were assessed from the surgical reports and recorded. The diagnosis based on the pathology test ordered was set as the final decision of the surgeon. We compared the diagnosis of the surgeon with the definitive diagnosis reported by the pathologist. Results There were 36 female and 21 male patients, with a mean age of 27.05 years (range, 6-60 years). The preoperative diagnoses based on the pathology tests ordered were ganglion cysts in all patients. The pathology reports showed ganglion in all specimens. Conclusion Further confirmation of a diagnosis of a wrist ganglion with histopathologic examination seems to be unnecessary.