Global InformationUnicameral bone cyst information
| Unicameral bone cyst | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Solitary bone cyst,[1][2] unicameral bone cyst (not recommended)[1] |
 | |
| MRI scan: simple bone cyst humerus of a 13 year old boy | |
| Specialty | Orthopedics |
| Symptoms | Pain, swelling, reduced movement, pathological fracture or no symptoms[1] |
| Causes | Unknown[1] |
| Diagnostic method | Medical imaging[1] |
| Frequency | Age less than 20 years. M:F ratio: 2:1[1] |
A unicameral bone cyst, also known as a simple bone cyst, is a cavity filled with a yellow-colored fluid.[1][3] It is considered to be benign since it does not spread beyond the bone.[4] Unicameral bone cysts can be classified into two categories: active and latent.[4] An active cyst is adjacent to the epiphyseal plate and tends to grow until it fills the entire diaphysis, the shaft, of the bone; depending on the invasiveness of the cyst, it can cause a pathological fracture or even destroy the epiphyseal plate leading to the permanent shortening of the bone.[4]
A latent cyst is located away from the epiphyseal plate and is more likely to heal with treatment.[4] It is typically diagnosed in under 20 year olds.[1] Although unicameral bone cysts can form in any bone structure, it is predominantly found in the proximal humerus and proximal femur; additionally, it affects males twice as often as females.[1][3]
Treatment options for unicameral bone cysts include invasive approaches such as injections, curettage and surgical fixation, and non-invasive procedures including observation to see if it does not get worse or resolves on its own, plaster casting or restricted activity.[5]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i WHO Classification of Tumours Editorial Board, ed. (2020). "3. Bone tumours: simple bone cyst". Soft Tissue and Bone Tumours: WHO Classification of Tumours. Vol. 3 (5th ed.). Lyon (France): International Agency for Research on Cancer. pp. 467–469. ISBN 978-92-832-4503-2.
- ^ "ICD-11 - ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics". icd.who.int. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
- ^ a b Mehlman, Charles T. "Unicameral Bone Cyst". Medscape Reference. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
- ^ a b c d "Simple Bone Cyst (unicameral)". Children's Hospital Boston. Retrieved 22 March 2012.
- ^ Zhao, Jia-Guo; Wang, Jia; Huang, Wan-Jie; Zhang, Peng; Ding, Ning; Shang, Jian (2017-02-04). "Interventions for treating simple bone cysts in the long bones of children". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2 (2): CD010847. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD010847.pub3. ISSN 1469-493X. PMC 6464391. PMID 28158933.