Aneurysmal bone cyst of the head & neck: A review of reported cases in the literature

The aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a benign, blood-filled bony lesion that notoriously affects the vertebral column and long bones of the body. Rarely, ABCs can manifest in the head and neck (HNABC). The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of existing literature on HNABC. This review includes: case reports and case series on ABCs manifesting in the head and neck region published in the English language. All cases identified via PubMed were analyzed individually. Articles were included according to specified eligibility criteria. The total number of cases analyzed were 72 (39 case reports; 33 case series). The average age at the time of HNABC diagnosis was 19.1 years (range: 0.42-62 years). The ratio of prevalence by gender affected exhibited an even 1:1 male-to-female split. CT in combination with MRI proved to be the most prevalent imaging modality utilized (37.2%). HNABC was most commonly detected in the mandible (37.1%), followed by the sinus (14.3%) and cranium (11.4%). The most frequently employed single treatment modality was surgical excision (94.1%). 94.4% of patients were alive with no evidence of disease at follow-up, while 5.6% of patients exhibited disease at follow-up. The average follow-up period was 3.59 years (range: 0.17-17.0 years). Aneurysmal bone cyst of the head and neck region is a rare condition that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of bony, vascular lesions presenting in the aforementioned locations. Since aneurysmal bone cyst of the head and neck region can present as a rapidly growing, expansive and destructive lesion, it is crucial that clinicians are aware of this entity so that patients are accurately diagnosed and treated.