Cysts

Question 1

What is a cyst?

How are they treated?

Answer 1

A pathological cavity with fluid/semi fluid contents - NOT created by the accumulation of pus.
- May or may not be lined with epithelium

Treatment - elliptical excision

Question 2

How are jaw cysts categorised?

Answer 2

Odontogenic or Non-odontogenic

Question 3

What is a mucocele?

How is it treated?

Answer 3

Mucocele - mucous retention cyst

Treatment - clinical examination and elliptical excision

Question 4

List 3 types of special investigations used to identify cysts:

Answer 4

1. Ultrasound
2. FNA’s
3. MRI

Question 5

What is a ranula?

Where are these normally found?

How is it treated and reoccurrence prevented?

Answer 5

Ranula - large mucocele from sublingual gland (means frogs belly)

Usually found on FOM

Treatment - excision with sublingual gland removal to prevent reoccurrence

Question 6

What are sebaceous cysts?

Answer 6

Lumps on the skin associated with hairy areas i.e. scalp

Question 7

What is a dermoid cyst?

Answer 7

Caused from presence of ectoderm at lines of fusion

Question 8

What is a teratoma?

Answer 8

A germ cell tumour with tissue or organ components resembling normal tissue of more than one germ layer i.e. hair, nails, skin

Question 9

What is a thyroglossal cyst?

What is the main way to identify?

Answer 9

Thyroglossal cyst - cysts anywhere along thyroid tract

Identification - they move on swallowing

Question 10

What is a branchial cyst and where are they located?

How is this identified and treated?

Answer 10

Branchial cyst - remnants of 2nd or 3rd branchial arches

Location - lateral aspect of the neck

MRI is essential for identification

Treatment - removal is difficult as they lie between internal and external carotid arteries

Question 11

What will patients with hard tissue cysts present with?
List 5 symptoms

Answer 11

1. Bleeding
2. Swelling
3. Paraesthesia
4. Trismus
5. Mobility of teeth

Question 12

What is a bruit?

Answer 12

Bruit = a vascular murmur - an abnormal sound generated by turbulent flow of blood in an artery due to either an area of partial obstruction, or a localised high rate blood flow through an unobstructed artery

Question 13

What is a multilocular cyst?

Answer 13

Multilocular cyst - cyst containing several compartments formed by membranous septa

Question 14

List 3 non-odontogenic cysts:

Answer 14

1. Nasopalatine duct cyst
2. Globulomaxillary cyst
3. Nasolabial cyst

Question 15

List 2 non-epithelialized bone cysts: (typically mandible)

Answer 15

1. Solitary (simple, traumatic) bone cyst
2. Aneurysmal bone cyst

Question 16

What is a radicular cyst?

Answer 16

Radicular cyst - periapical cyst associated with a non-vital tooth

Question 17

What is a residual cyst?

Answer 17

Residual cyst - inflammatory odontogenic cysts, usually asymptomatic and present on post-extraction site

Question 18

What is a dentigerous cyst?

Answer 18

Dentigerous cyst - associated with crown of an unerupted tooth

Question 19

What is an odontogenic keratocyte?

Where do they typically occur?

Answer 19

Cysts which infiltrate the bone and can spread into soft tissues

Occur in tooth bearing areas and ramus of mandible

Question 20

What is Ameloblastoma?

Are they cancerous?

Where is the most common location?

When treating an ameloblastoma, what is essential?

Answer 20

Ameloblastoma = rare tumour of odontogenic epithelium

Can benign or malignant

More common in the mandible

Treatment - ameloblastoma must be removed with a margin of bone

Question 21

Describe the process of enucleation:

Answer 21

Enucleation - a sharp curette/Mitchell’s trimmer used to separate cyst lining from adjacent bone