Aneurysmal bone cyst: a primary or secondary lesion?

OBJECTIVES

To emphasize the origin of aneurysmal bone cyst as "primary" or "secondary" to other lesions of the jaws and 2. Report two cases of the cyst that illustrate its controversial origin in the hope that it will add to the literature on the subject in Africa.

REPORT: Two cases of aneurysmal bone cyst occurring in the mandible and maxilla are reported. One of the cysts that occurred in a 13-year-old was a primary lesion while the other in a 5-year-old was associated with a cementifying fibroma.

METHOD: The diagnoses of both lesions were confirmed by biopsy. The lesion that occurred in the 13-year-old was treated by curettage while the other in the 5-year-old was treated by excision under general anaesthesia respectively.

RESULT: While the lesion in the 13-year-old was haemorrhagic with 'welling up' of blood, the second lesion though haemorrhagic was not associated with this phenomenon. Both patients were transfused with 2 pints and 1 pint of blood respectively. There has not been recurrence of the lesions after two years post operatively.

CONCLUSION

Aneurysmal bone cyst can arise as a primary lesion or associated with a fibro-osseous lesion as demonstrated by these two cases. There is a need to serially section biopsy specimens of the cyst to detect coexisting lesions.