CONSERVATIVE OR RADICAL TREATMENT OF KERATOCYSTS - A RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW

The paper reports our experience in the treatment of keratocysts and m ake recommendations for treatment in the form of a retrospective study . Thirty-eight patients with 52 keratocysts out of a total of 318 pati ents with 351 odontogenic cysts who presented between 1984 and 1992 we re analysed. Outcome was measured by recurrence and there mere three r ecurrences (6%) which compares favourably with published reports in wh ich figures of up to 62% have been quoted. Based on the experience of others as web as our own series we recommend that small cysts near the alveolar process should be treated by simple excision, but large inva sive cysts near the base of the skull should be treated by radical res ection leaving a margin of normal tissue around the specimen. If any v ariables are discovered that can reliably indicate prognosis me may be able to revise these recommendations.