A cyst is a saclike structure in the body. Cysts usually are filled with fluid, which may be blood, clear fluid, or pus.
A cyst can be normal, abnormal, or, in rare cases, cancerous. In some cases, a cyst may be drained either with a needle or by cutting it open, or it may be removed entirely.
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 25, 2007 |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise