Diagnosis and Treatment of Ganglion Cysts about the Shoulder

With the advent of magnetic resonance imaging, supraglenoid cyst identification has become more common. A high incidence of type II SLAP lesions has been described in association with these cysts, which are frequently located in the region of the suprascapular notch. Clinical evaluation frequently reveals posterolateral shoulder pain and infraspinatus weakness and atrophy. We have successfully treated patients with symptomatic cysts using diagnostic arthroscopy followed by arthroscopic cyst decompression. All patients in our study were identified with a superior labral pathology and subsequently went on to have arthroscopic superior labral stabilization. Open decompression is reserved for patients when an adequate arthroscopic decompression cannot be confirmed, or a large cyst is associated with significant neurologic involvement of the infraspinatus or supraspinatus muscle, or both.