Management of the Odontogenic Keratocyst – Six Cases with Conservative Management Supported by Chemical and Electrochemical Cauterization

Odontogenic keratocyst (OKC) has a special mention in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery due to its varied presentation and high recurrence rate. The presence of Bcl-2 and cytokeratin 10 along with interleukins in the basal and suprabasal layers led to the inhibition of apoptosis of the surface epithelium and hence the high rate of recurrence. We discuss six cases diagnosed as odontogenic keratocyst on biopsy that underwent surgical removal. At the time of biopsy, the contents of the cyst were drained to allow decompression, then enucleation with Carnoy’s solution was performed as a secondary procedure. Based on our findings, we suggest a modification to Pogrel’s protocol of decompression with a drain in place followed by enucleation.