Efficacy of decompression combined with secondary curettage in the treatment of jaw cysts

[Objective:] To investigate the clinical efficacy of decompression combined with secondary curettage for the treatment of large jaw cysts, and analyze the impact of this technique on patients' perioperative outcomes and recurrence rates. [Methods:] A retrospective study was conducted, collecting clinical data from 80 patients with large jaw cysts admitted to our hospital between May 2021 and September 2023. Based on the surgical approach, patients were divided into two groups: 38 patients treated with conventional curettage were assigned to the conventional curettage group, while 42 patients treated with decompression combined with secondary curettage were assigned to the study group. The two groups were compared regarding treatment effectiveness, postoperative inflammatory markers, complication rates, bone recovery status (bone formation thickness, bone density, reduction rate of the cystic cavity), and cyst recurrence rate. Quality of life was assessed using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). [Results:] The treatment effectiveness rate in the study group (92.86%) was higher than that in the conventional curettage group (76.32%) (P<0.05). On postoperative day 3, the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in the study group were all lower than those in the conventional curettage group (P<0.05). The postoperative complication rate in the study group (4.76%) was significantly lower than that in the conventional curettage group (21.05%) (P<0.05). At 6 months postoperatively, the bone formation thickness, bone density, and reduction rate of the cystic cavity in the study group were significantly higher than those in the conventional curettage group (P<0.001). All domain scores of the SF-36 in the study group were significantly higher than those in the conventional curettage group (P<0.05). Furthermore, the recurrence rate in the study group (2.38%) was significantly lower than that in the conventional curettage group (18.42%) (P<0.01). [Conclusion:] Decompression combined with secondary curettage is an effective treatment for large jaw cysts. It can effectively reduce postoperative inflammatory response, promote bone repair, improve patients' quality of life, and significantly lower the incidence of complications and recurrence.