Post-Total Knee Replacement Persistent Bilateral Popliteal Cysts Requiring Surgical Excision: A Literature-Based Discussion.

We report a patient who developed the unusual complication of persistent symptomatic Baker's cyst (BC) requiring surgical excision following each of her total knee replacements (TKRs), which were performed 10 years apart. BCs are a common problem and rarely require operative intervention. This patient presented with osteoarthritis and a painful complex BC. A successful left TKR was performed but the BC persisted following the surgery. Conservative management of the BC after the TKR failed to alleviate the symptoms, and surgical excision of the BC was eventually performed. This patient experienced the same problem 10 years earlier in their contralateral (right) knee, which also required excision of a BC after TKR to achieve complete resolution. This case demonstrates that a large complex BC with septations and a thickened wall may not necessarily resolve after TKR and may, on rare occasions, require surgical excision to relieve symptoms.