Dr. J S R G Saran, Department of Orthopaedics, M S Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560094, India. E-mail: jsaran868@gmail.com
Background: Wrist swellings are most often benign cystic lesions such as ganglion cysts; however, vascular anomalies such as venous malformations (VMs), though rare, can closely mimic these entities and pose diagnostic challenges.
Case Report: A 24-year-old male presented with a painful volar wrist swelling following trauma, radiologically suggestive of a multiloculated ganglion cyst. Conservative management failed, and surgical excision through a modified Henry approach was undertaken. Intraoperatively, an ill-defined, violaceous, non-pulsatile vascular mass was identified and completely excised with assistance from a vascular surgery team. Histopathological examination confirmed a VM.
Results: Post-operative rehabilitation led to significant improvement in pain and wrist function, with no recurrence noted at short-term follow-up.
Conclusion: VMs, though rare, should be considered in persistent wrist swellings unresponsive to conservative treatment. Complete surgical excision with multidisciplinary support and structured rehabilitation can achieve excellent functional recovery and prevent recurrence.
Keywords: Atypical venous malformation, Wrist, ganglion cyst, Surgical excision, Vascular anomaly.
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