[Silicon of the medium in the postoperative maxillary cyst]

As part of a study on chronic inflammatory disease of the mucous membrane, silicon of the medium in postoperative maxillary cysts and in other cysts was measured, and following results were obtained. Silicon concentrations of the medium in the postoperative maxillary cysts and in the postoperative ethmoidal cysts were 34.5 ppm and 42.9 ppm (geometrical mean) respectively, and they were higher than in other primary cysts such as frontal cyst, nasal vestibular cyst, and dental cyst. The silicon content of the medium in the postoperative maxillary cyst varied with the water content of the medium; the lower the water content the higher was the silicon content and the relationship was expressed by the following equation. log S = 7.43 + 7.14 log d-6.14 log w, where S = Si (mcg), d = dry weight (g.) and w = wet weight (g.). The high concentration of silicon in the postoperative cyst was considered to be due to the large amount of silicon transudate from the surrounding fibrous tissue through a highly damaged or missing epithelial wall of the cyst.