Anterior Cruciate Ligament Ganglion Cyst Treated Under Computed Tomography–Guided Aspiration in a Professional Soccer Player

The occurrence of intra-articular ganglions in patients referred for knee examination is rare (1.3%),3 and previous studies have demonstrated that the most common cysts are located in the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) (62.6% to 75.4%).7,8 While its etiology is unclear, some authors affirm that cysts appear after a trauma and others advocate for an origin of cystic degeneration within the ligament.11,13 The presence of these intra-articular cysts can occasionally become symptomatic, causing pain and limiting activities.8,12,15 The diagnosis of an intra-articular ganglion cyst can be clearly made by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).4,6 Currently, arthroscopic resection of the cyst is the most common method of treatment for symptomatic cysts.2 Arthroscopic debridement for this condition could lead to complications, such as iatrogenic injury to the ACL.3,13 To hasten the improvement of symptoms and return to play, we proposed an alternative treatment option with the use of computed tomography (CT)–guided aspiration of the ACL ganglion cyst, a previously described technique with clinical success.1 The purpose of this study was to report results in a professional athlete with both 2-year clinical and MRI follow-up. Institutional review board approval was obtained for this study.