Bones are the hardest tissues in the body that make up the skeletal system and serve as a support in the human body. This hard structure is due to the fact that they are calcium stores. Blood cells are produced in the marrow parts of the bones, which have many different layers from the outside to the inside. Some diseases may occur in the bones, which are of vital importance in the human body. One of them is bone cysts.
Why Does a Bone Cyst Occur?
The formation of a fluid-filled cyst inside the bone means the presence of a bone cyst. Bone cysts of different types usually do not cause any symptoms and discomfort and are detected incidentally during controls for different reasons. These cysts, which are mostly benign, do not require intervention and are followed up regularly if they are small in size and do not cause any discomfort. However, in some cases, it may require intervention, especially if the cyst is malignant or affects the health and function of the bone. Cysts that form inside the bones often do not require any treatment and disappear spontaneously. Likewise, most of them are benign. Although it is usually seen in children and young people, it is a health problem that can be seen in individuals from all age groups.
Bone cysts are detected in computerized tomography (CT) images using X-rays during routine controls or investigations for different diseases, as they do not cause any symptoms in most cases. In these images, bone cysts look like a speck. Large cysts can weaken the bones, making them prone to fracture. Such large cysts also create some symptoms such as pain and swelling, causing complaints in individuals.
In such cases, treatment is necessary in bone cysts. Cysts that do not cause any symptoms can be followed up for a certain period of time after diagnosis. Although it does not show any symptoms in cases such as rapid growth in size and being in a risky location, there may be cysts that require treatment.
What are the Symptoms of Bone Cyst?
Good benign (noncancerous) cysts usually do not cause pain or any other symptoms. In this case, the cysts may not be diagnosed until they cause the bone to break or break, or are detected on any X-ray examination. Fractures that occur when bone cysts grow and weaken the bone and cause it to break are called pathological fractures. A pathological fracture is a type of fracture caused by a force that does not cause a healthy bone to break. Particularly large bone cysts may present with some symptoms. Although it varies according to the type of bone cyst, the most common of these symptoms are:
- Pain and swelling (The pain is usually permanent and dull.)
- Rot and discoloration of the skin around the bones and joints,
- Unusual bending of the limb where the bone is located,
- Difficulty of movement in the limb where the bone is located,
- The formation of a lump on the bone,
- Temperature, deformation or stiffness of the affected body part,
- Muscle weakness,
- Difficulty in bearing weight,
- Nickness and tingling in the arms and legs.
What are the Causes of Bone Cyst?
The cause has not yet been fully determined. However, as a result of scientific research on this subject, some theories have been put forward regarding the factor that causes cyst formation. It is thought that unicameral type bone cysts may be caused by high pressure and fluid accumulation resulting in occlusion, which is due to the rapid bone growth in childhood that sometimes disrupts the functioning of the cells.
It is emphasized that some genetic mutations may also cause cyst formation. Aneurysmal bone cysts are filled with blood. These types of bone cysts are thought to be caused by abnormalities of the blood vessels. Although the factors that may cause the abnormality have not been fully discovered yet, it may be benign. It is also possible that mic cysts disrupt blood flow or damage the vascular structure of previous injuries to the bone, leading to the formation of aneurysmal cysts.
What are the Types of Bone Cysts?
There are several different types of bone cysts. There is a type. Two of these are the most common types of cysts as follows:
- Simple (Unicameral) Bone Cysts: Although it can develop in any part of the body, approximately 90% of it is a type of bone cyst seen in the arm and thigh bone. It usually gets better on its own without the need for any treatment. In this type of cyst, which is seen in children younger than 15 years of age, the average age of diagnosis is 9 years and it is seen 2 times more frequently in boys than in girls. or a type of cyst that affects the spinal bones. Although aneurysmal cysts are generally benign, they grow very rapidly and negatively affect the normal functioning of the bone, so this type of cyst is likely to cause complications. It is a rare type of cyst and affects only one in every million people. Affected individuals are usually between the ages of 10 and 20, and aneurysmal cysts are more common in females than males.
How to Diagnose Bone Cyst?
Diagnosis is made by seeing spots showing the presence of cysts in the bones in X-ray and computerized tomography (CT) scans, which are medical imaging examinations performed with X-rays. In bone cysts that are found incidentally during examinations usually performed for different reasons, it can also be determined whether the cyst has caused any fracture or crack.
Cysts are located at the growth points of the ends of the bone of any limb that are still growing and should be investigated further by physicians if they are likely to adversely affect physical development, if they are very large and likely to damage the bone, if there are additional symptoms such as unexplained weight loss. and diagnostic tests may be needed. In such cases, magnetic resonance imaging provides a detailed view of the internal structure of the bone.
How to Treat a Bone Cyst?
In most cases of bone cyst, if there is no suspicious condition or the cyst is not very large, follow-up is recommended and no treatment is needed. . However, if there is pain or other disturbing symptoms, or if the cyst is likely to damage the bone, the need for treatment arises. Surgical treatments are recommended in unicameral bone cysts if there is no sign of healing despite regular follow-ups or if there is a possibility of damage to the bone. These include applications such as steroid injection, bone marrow injection, curettage and bone grafting.
All of the mentioned applications are operations performed under general anesthesia. In some cases, several of these techniques can be applied in combination. In patients who will be injected with steroids, the fluid in the cyst is usually drained first, and then steroid injections are given regularly for a year to prevent the cyst from growing again. Since this is a simple treatment option, it is the type of treatment that is generally preferred to be applied first in bone cysts. It is injected into the area where the cyst is located. The injection technique is just like in steroid injection. In patients who will undergo curettage and bone grafting, the surgeon first enters the bone and empties the contents of the cyst. It scrapes the lining of the cyst using a special tool. The cavity formed in the bone is filled with bone marrow taken from other parts of the body or donated from another person.
In all unicameral cyst cases, there is a chance of recurrence after treatment, albeit with a low probability. For this reason, patients should be followed regularly for the period recommended by the physician. Treatments such as curettage and bone grafting or excision, bone cementing are generally recommended for aneurysmal bone cysts. In addition to these, liquid nitrogen applications that damage the cyst tissue can be applied in some cases. Since the recurrence probability of aneurysmal cysts is higher than unicameral cysts, follow-up is much more important and should be long-term. ır.
If you also have some of the symptoms of bone cysts or if cysts are found in your bones during your controls, you can consult your doctor and get information about whether it requires treatment. As a result of early treatment in bone cysts that require intervention, you can prevent more serious problems and protect your health.
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