Dorsal Wrist Ganglion: Pilot for Randomized Control Trial Comparing Aspiration Alone or Combined with Injection of Platelet-Rich Plasma

Katharine Hamlin; Alexandra Haddon; Yasmeen Khan; Clare Miller; David Lawrie

doi:10.1055/s-0042-1744367

Dorsal Wrist Ganglion: Pilot for Randomized Control Trial Comparing Aspiration Alone or Combined with Injection of Platelet-Rich Plasma

J Wrist Surg. 2022 Jun 8;12(1):18-22. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1744367. eCollection 2023 Feb.

Authors

Katharine Hamlin¹, Alexandra Haddon¹, Yasmeen Khan¹, Clare Miller¹, David Lawrie¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Upper Limb Unit, Orthopaedics, Woodend Hospital, Aberdeen, United Kingdom.

Abstract

This pilot study assessed the feasibility of performing a randomized control trial (RCT) investigating injection with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) for dorsal wrist ganglion (DWG). Aspiration alone was compared with aspiration plus injection of PRP. Seventeen patients were enrolled. Nine patients received PRP and eight aspiration alone. Patients were followed up at 6 weeks and 1 year; recurrence of the ganglion and Patient Evaluation Measure scores were measured. At 6 weeks seven patients in the aspiration group had a recurrence and five in the PRP group, but by 1 year, this has increased to seven out of eight in the PRP group whereas in the aspiration group four had resolved leaving three out of eight patients with a ganglion still present. From the basis of our work an RCT would require a minimum of 46 patients per group; however, it is unlikely that PRP will be a panacea for ganglia. This is a Level II study.

Keywords: aspiration; dorsal; ganglion; platelet-rich plasma; wrist.

Grants and funding

Funding This work was supported by Arthrex, with the provision of ACP double syringes.