The World Of A Phillies Doctor: Treating A Common Baseball Side Effect

The game has ended with the home team on the losing end of the 7-6 score. The traffic in the training room is picking up. One of the players comes in with a lump on the back of his hand.

Dr. Ciccotti asks him to come into his office. “I’ll get the needle.”

The lump on his hand is a ganglion cyst. It is one of the numerous side effects of being a professional ball player.

Dr. Ciccotti tells the player to sit down and hold out his hand. The player knows the drill. Apparently this is not the first time he needs it drained.

Once seated, Dr. Ciccotti numbs the area and inserts the needle. He draws out a thick amber fluid the consistency of molasses. It is not watery at all. Almost like a hardening sap.

The player doesn’t even flinch with this going on and actually pulls out a cell phone so he can take a picture to show his wife who is curious about the procedure.

The whole thing takes two minutes and he’s gone with only a band aid to show for it. With the ganglion cyst issue taken care of, Dr. Ciccotti leans back for a moment.

“Now I sit here and wait,” says Ciccotti. “I am here to be available for any and all issues.”

Issues are few today with only one or two of the guys asking some basic questions.

Ganglion Cyst | Ganglion Cysts