[Adjuvant cryosurgery in the treatment of unicameral bone cysts]

Multiple treatments have been used for the unicameral bone cyst lesion, such as steroid application, multiple perforations, bone curettages, partial resection and bone grafting. The purpose of this study was to describe the evolution of children with unicameral bone cyst who were treated with cryosurgery as coadjuvant therapy.

Cross-sectional descriptive study over the period between January 2001 and December 2006. Twelve patients were studied and treated at the Pediatric Orthopedics Department of the Pediatrics Hospital at the Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI.

Twelve patients were analyzed; all of them were treated with curettage, cryotherapy and bone grafting. In 7 patients, the lesions were located in the humerus (58.3 %), in 3 in the tibia (25 %), in 1 in the ilio-ischiopubic branch (8.3 %), and in 1 in the clavicle (8.3 %). Follow-up ranged from 12 to 36 months. Bone healing required 2 to 3 months after the surgery; the response was complete in 9 (75 %) patients and partial in 3 (25 %). Function was restored in all cases, without recurrences.

Cryosurgery as an adjuvant treatment and autologous or homologous bone grafting prevented local recurrence of unicameral bone cyst lesions, favored bone healing and allowed for a full range of motion functionality without complications.