Treatment of aneurysmal bone cysts with saucerization and bone marrow injection in children

In four consecutive children, healing of large, active aneurysmal cysts of the long bones was achieved with saucerization, closure of the periosteum, and instillation of autologous bone marrow into the cavity. The saucerizati on procedure consisted of excision of the subperiosteal new bone with its a ttached cyst contents and curettage of the remaining cortical bane. A centr ipetal pattern of bone healing was observed in which an ossification front advanced from the periphery to the center of the cavity. We conclude that a utologous bone marrow injections are a simple means of augmenting the heali ng of aneurysmal cysts of long bones treated with saucerization. The proced ure avoids the morbidity and costs associated with alternative methods of b one grafting.