Solitary unicameral bone cyst: treatment with freeze-dried crushed cortical-bone allograft. A review of one hundred and forty-four cases.

One hundred and forty-four solitary bone cysts were treated by curettage and packing with freeze-dried crushed cortical-bone allograft. One hundred and eight healed primarily. There was a higher rate of recurrence in young patients (less than ten years old), in active cysts, in females, and in incompletely packed cysts. However, of the cysts that were completely packed, 88 per cent healed. These data show that freeze-dried allogeneic crushed cortical bone is superior to similiarly processed cancellous bone and gives results similar to those achieved with fresh autogenous cancellous bone. Orthopaedic surgeons should therefore consider the use of freeze-dried allogeneic crushed cortical bone instead of autogenous grafts to avoid the morbidity and increased risk of complications associated with the procedure to obtain the autogenous bone.