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 | Bets Davis, MFA |
| Author | Kathe Gallagher, MSW |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Samuel S. Thatcher, MD, PhD - Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology |
| Last Updated | January 23, 2008 |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise