Odontogenic keratocysts and nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome

Odontogenic keratocysts and their association with the nevoid basal cell carcinoma synd-ome have become increasingly important to the head and neck surgeon, primarily because of their "aggressive" clinical behavior and high recurrence rate. Microscopically, keratocysts consist of a thin stratified squamous epithelium that is usually six to eight cells thick and parakeratotic. The cyst wall is thin and usually not inflamed. In contrast to the benign histologic appearnce, the recurrence rate has ranged as high as 60%, with a spectrum of treatment from enucleation to radiotherapy. We report three cases, in order to expand the small number of reports now in the otolaryngologic literature.