Unicameral bone cysts. A comparison of treatment options

Thirty-two unicameral bone cyst cases from various hospital centers in the San Francisco Bay Area were reviewed in order to compare the results of different treatment methods. Thirteen of the 32 cysts were latent and 19 were active, judged by their proximity to the growth plate. The average age at presentation was 8.9 years, and average follow-up was 5.6 years. Fifteen patients were treated surgically, 12 were given steroid injections, and five were treated nonoperatively. Comparative analysis of these methods supports previous studies which show that steroid injections are as effective as surgical intervention while having lower morbidity.