Mm. Curi et al., MANAGEMENT OF SOLID AMELOBLASTOMA OF THE JAWS WITH LIQUID-NITROGEN SPRAY CRYOSURGERY, Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology, oral radiology and endodontics, 84(4), 1997, pp. 339-344
Objective. This study evaluated the results of the use of curettage fo
llowed by liquid nitrogen spray cryosurgery in a number of solid or mu
lticystic ameloblastomas of the jaws and the postoperative complicatio
ns related to this treatment modality. Study design. Thirty-six patien
ts with solid ameloblastoma of the jaws were treated with curettage fo
llowed by cryosurgery. The cryotherapy consisted of hand instrumented
curettage of the bone lesion followed by three freezing cycles, of 1 m
inute each, of the remaining bone cavity with liquid nitrogen spray. P
ostoperative complications were evaluated clinically and radiographica
lly. Results. Local recurrence occurred in 11 (30.6%) patients. Except
ing local recurrence, postoperative complications were frequent but no
t severe: wound dehiscence (5.5%), paraesthesia (5.5%), infection (5.5
%), and pathologic fracture (11.1%). Conclusion. Management of solid o
r mu ticystic ameloblastomas of the jaws with curettage followed by cr
yosurgery may decrease the local recurrence rate and also to reduce th
e initial indication of resection with continuity defect.