What is it?
They are fluid-filled, slow-moving, expanding cysts inside the bones. It is mostly seen in childhood and adolescence. It is common in boys. Cysts are mostly found in the body in the upper arm bone and thigh bone. It is mostly located in the metaphyseal (tip) region of the bone. We can classify these cysts as active cysts and latent cysts according to their growth status. Active cysts are located against the growth plate and can slowly expand and fill the entire metaphysis. Therefore, they carry the risk of pathological fractures. As we move away from the growth plate, the growth of cysts slows down and we call these cysts latent cysts.
Causes
Although it is not known exactly how these cysts form, it is thought to occur due to venous obstruction in the rapidly growing metaphyseal region of the bone.
Clinical
Many simple bone cysts have no clinical findings. It is detected incidentally on radiographs taken for another reason. In cases where large cysts put pressure on the bone, they may come to us with pain and pathological fractures.
In addition to radiography, MRI, CT or Bone scintigraphy may be requested for diagnosis.
Treatment
While small bone cysts are only monitored, cysts that take up space in the bone and increase the risk of fracture require treatment. This cyst must be filled with bone to prevent a possible fracture in the bone where it is located. During this surgery, bone tissue from another part of the person can be removed, or this cyst can be surgically filled with externally obtained bone grafts.
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