Treatment of aneurysmal bone cysts in childhood.

Twenty-five aneurysmal bone cysts were treated by curettage, saucerization, or resection. Healing occurred in all cysts of the long bones that were treated by saucerization and bone grafting or by resection and bone grafting. However, healing occurred in only half of the cysts of the long bones that were treated by curettage and bone grafting. In contrast, removal of the soft tissue contents from cysts of the pelvis, without curettage of bone or bone grafting, was sufficient to initiate healing. Although there was an apparent difference in the behavior of cysts of the long bones and pelvis, it is likely that the essential component of treatment at both sites is to remove the vascular soft tissue from the cyst.