Dawaa Reference

chronic

Baker's Cyst (Popliteal Cyst)

Treatment options, dosing, cautions and Egyptian brands from the shipped Dawaa Reference card.

Evidence status

Checked against the sources named below

Sources3 sources

Ibuprofen 100 mg/5 ml SmPC section 4.2 (eMC product 4560) · Kenalog Intra-articular SmPC section 4.2 (eMC product 6748) · StatPearls: Ibuprofen (NCBI Bookshelf NBK542299)

Verified against3 documents
  • Ibuprofen 100 mg/5 ml SmPC section 4.2 (eMC product 4560)
  • Kenalog Intra-articular SmPC section 4.2 (eMC product 6748)
  • MSF Essential Drugs 2024 (ibuprofen oral monograph)

Verified date2026-08

Presentation reference

Is it this?

Reference only, to read alongside your own examination.

Symptoms — what the patient reports (3)

  • Behind-the-knee tightness, discomfort, or an ache is a common complaint
  • Increased activity tends to make the pain worse and can limit fully bending or straightening the knee
  • A rupture can cause sudden sharp calf and knee pain with a feeling of fluid trickling down the leg [calf pain · joint pain · knee pain]

Signs — what you find (5)

  • The bulge behind the knee is most obvious with the patient standing and the knee straight
  • Bending the knee to 45 degrees makes the swelling soften or vanish (Foucher's sign)
  • If the cyst dissects into the calf it can mimic a clot, with leg swelling, redness, and a positive Homan's sign [cyst · leg swelling · redness]
  • A ruptured cyst can trap the posterior tibial nerve, causing numbness in the sole and calf pain [calf pain · cyst · numbness]
  • Posterior compartment syndrome after rupture brings calf swelling, weak toes, and worsening pain when the toes are passively extended

Tests (3)

  • A supine exam moving the knee from fully straight to at least 90 degrees of bend checks the joint itself
  • When physical findings are inconclusive, plain x-ray and ultrasound are the first imaging steps
  • MRI is added mainly when surgery is being considered

If not this — what else fits (9)

  • An abscess behind the knee
  • Arteriovenous fistula
  • Deep venous thrombosis
  • Ganglion cyst
  • Hemangioma
  • Hematoma (blood collection)
  • A lipoma (fatty lump)
  • Lymphadenopathy
  • Malignancy such as fibrosarcoma or liposarcoma

SourceStatPearls "Baker's Cyst" - disease-level clinical article

Presentation findings are traced to the source above.

1

IBUPROFEN

1st line

Strength400 mg

Formoral.solid

Adult dose and duration

400 mg three times daily after food PRN for popliteal discomfort and intra-articular knee pain x 7-14 days

Paediatric dose

5-10 mg/kg/dose [child max 400 mg]

(Every 6-8 hours PRN Primary popliteal cysts in children are usually benign and self-limiting; conservative observation recommended. Child over 3 months: 5 to 10 mg/kg 3 to 4 times daily, maximum 30 mg/kg daily. The suspension's own label caps pain-and-fever use lower still, at 20 mg/kg/day. Never exceed 400 mg in a single dose.)

Dose by weight
3kg15-30 mg/dose
4kg20-40 mg/dose
5kg25-50 mg/dose
6kg30-60 mg/dose
7kg35-70 mg/dose
8kg40-80 mg/dose
9kg45-90 mg/dose
10kg50-100 mg/dose
11kg55-110 mg/dose
12kg60-120 mg/dose
13kg65-130 mg/dose
14kg70-140 mg/dose
15kg75-150 mg/dose
16kg80-160 mg/dose
17kg85-170 mg/dose
18kg90-180 mg/dose
19kg95-190 mg/dose
20kg100-200 mg/dose
21kg105-210 mg/dose
22kg110-220 mg/dose
23kg115-230 mg/dose
24kg120-240 mg/dose
25kg125-250 mg/dose
26kg130-260 mg/dose
27kg135-270 mg/dose
28kg140-280 mg/dose
29kg145-290 mg/dose
30kg150-300 mg/dose
31kg155-310 mg/dose
32kg160-320 mg/dose
33kg165-330 mg/dose
34kg170-340 mg/dose
35kg175-350 mg/dose
36kg180-360 mg/dose
37kg185-370 mg/dose
38kg190-380 mg/dose
39kg195-390 mg/dose
40kg200-400 mg/dose
41kg205-400 mg/dose (upper capped)
42kg210-400 mg/dose (upper capped)
43kg215-400 mg/dose (upper capped)
44kg220-400 mg/dose (upper capped)
45kg225-400 mg/dose (upper capped)
46kg230-400 mg/dose (upper capped)
47kg235-400 mg/dose (upper capped)
48kg240-400 mg/dose (upper capped)
49kg245-400 mg/dose (upper capped)
50kg250-400 mg/dose (upper capped)
Dose source

Ibuprofen 100 mg/5 ml SmPC section 4.2 (eMC product 4560) for the adult dose: "The recommended dose is 200 mg-400 mg (10-20 ml), up to three times a day as required... do not take more than 1200 mg (60 ml) in any 24 hour period". That label's paediatric section gives weight bands and a 20 mg/kg/day pain-and-fever ceiling but states no mg/kg per dose, so the paediatric 5 to 10 mg/kg per dose is from MSF Essential Drugs 2024 (ibuprofen oral monograph): "Child over 3 months: 5 to 10 mg/kg 3 to 4 times daily (max. 30 mg/kg daily)".

Why

Baker's cyst is secondary to underlying intra-articular knee disease (OA, meniscal tear, RA). Conservative management targets the primary knee pathology.

Cautions
  • URGENT DVT EXCLUSION: Acute rupture of a Baker's cyst causes sudden painful calf swelling and erythema (Pseudothrombophlebitis), which mimics DVT. Perform urgent venous Doppler ultrasound.
  • Take NSAIDs with food; avoid in active GI bleeding, renal impairment, or third trimester pregnancy.
  • Aspiration of popliteal cyst without treating underlying joint pathology results in high cyst recurrence.
  • The 400 mg per-dose ceiling comes from the reference literature, not from the suspension label - that label's largest paediatric single dose is 200 mg. Below about 40 kg the weight calculation binds first and the ceiling never comes into it.
Egyptian brands
Egyptian brandManufacturerIndicative price
DAJUANOFEN 400 MG 20 F.C. TABS.COPAD PHARMA5.00 EGP (0.25/unit)
FLABU 400MG 10 F.C.TAB.DELTA PHARMA3.75 EGP (0.38/unit)
NOVA-PROFEN 400MG 30 F.C. TABLETSSANOFI12.75 EGP (0.42/unit)
IBUPROFEN 400 MG 10 TAB.SEDICO6.00 EGP (0.60/unit)
MAFO 400 MG 30 F.C.TABSEIPICO42.00 EGP (1.40/unit)
BRUFEN 400 MG 30 TABS.KAHIRA > ABBOTT LABORATORIES78.00 EGP (2.60/unit)
PROFUSOL 400MG 20 S.G CAPS.EUROPEAN EGYPTIAN PHARM. IND.31.00 EGP
ANALGIPROF 400 MG 25 SACHETSEVA PHARMA37.50 EGP
NOVA-PROFEN 100MG/5ML ORAL SUSP. 100ML? strength differs? different route - not oral solidSANOFI2.25 EGP
BRUFEMOL-N SUSP. 60 ML? strength differs? different route - not oral solidARAB DRUG COMPANY (ADCO)4.50 EGP
2

TRIAMCINOLONE ACETONIDE

2nd line

Strength40 mg

Forminjection

Adult dose and duration

20-40 mg intra-articular knee injection (with optional cyst aspiration) under sterile technique - Single intra-articular injection

Paediatric dose

Not routinely recommended in children.

Dose source

Kenalog Intra-articular SmPC section 4.2 (eMC product 6748)

Why

Intra-articular knee steroid injection reduces synovial effusion and popliteal cyst volume.

Cautions
  • Aseptic technique mandatory to prevent intra-articular infection.
  • Direct aspiration/injection into popliteal fossa should be ultrasound-guided to avoid neurovascular structures (popliteal artery/vein, tibial nerve).
Egyptian brands
Egyptian brandManufacturerIndicative price
PHARCOCINOLONE 40MG/ML I.M AMP.CHEMIPHARM > PHARCO B8.00 EGP
AMCINOL 40MG/ML I.M AMP.SIGMA TEC11.00 EGP
EPIRELEFAN 40MG/ML I.M AMP.EIPICO38.00 EGP
SYNTHECORTIN 40MG/ML I.M AMP.MUP54.00 EGP

Prices are indicative (dataset snapshot 2026-06); verify with the pharmacy.