[Incidence of recurrence of aneurysmal bone cysts following surgical treatment and adjuvant therapy with phenol].

Between 1966 and 1991, at the Department of Orthopaedics 34 patients with a mean age of 15.7 years (range 7-46 years) underwent surgery because of aneurysmatic bone cysts. Mean follow-up was 11 years (range 1-26.3 years). We observed a total rate of recurrence of 11.8%. In a group of 9 patients who received local phenol therapy after curettage and bone transplantation no recurrence was observed. The different surgical and conservative methods of treatment are discussed also with respect to rates of recurrence stated in the literature.