Cytological findings in cases of marsupialized odontogenic cysts. A contribution to early diagnosis of malignant changes.

The early diagnosis of a malignant or premalignant change in cyst epithelium in the follow-up control of fenestrated odontogenic cysts can easily be made using exfoliative cytology. This investigation reveals the findings in 408 cyto-smears of 89 patients. Only in one case was the cyst epithelium free of pathological signs. 405 cyto-smears showed very variable inflammatory changes. The smears of one patient were typical for an ameloblastoma, microscopically smears of three patients showed keratinised epithelium. If the radical removal of an odontogenic cyst is not possible, cyto-smears should be applied and randomly repeated. Thus the possible change of cyst epithelium via inflammation or dysplasia to malignancy can be detected and treated earlier.