Treatment of aneurysmal bone cysts with saucerization and bone marrow injection in children.

In four consecutive children, healing of large, active aneurysmal cysts of the long bones was achieved with saucerization, closure of the periosteum, and instillation of autologous bone marrow into the cavity. The saucerization procedure consisted of excision of the subperiosteal new bone with its attached cyst contents and curettage of the remaining cortical bone. A centripetal pattern of bone healing was observed in which an ossification front advanced from the periphery to the center of the cavity. We conclude that autologous bone marrow injections are a simple means of augmenting the healing of aneurysmal cysts of long bones treated with saucerization. The procedure avoids the morbidity and costs associated with alternative methods of bone grafting.