Enucleation
Pronunciation: ee-NOO-klee-AY-shun
The complete surgical removal of a cyst or benign tumour from its bony or soft-tissue bed, including the entire epithelial lining.
Full Definition
In oral and maxillofacial surgery, enucleation refers to the excision of a pathological lesion—most commonly an odontogenic cyst—in its entirety, without rupture, by dissecting it from the surrounding bone or soft tissue. The term is borrowed from general surgery (where it also describes removal of the eyeball) and must be contextualised clearly in dental operative reports. Peripheral ostectomy is sometimes performed in conjunction with enucleation to reduce the risk of recurrence, especially for odontogenic keratocysts. Editors should not confuse enucleation with curettage, which involves scraping rather than intact removal.
Usage
Usage note: In dental operative reports, always specify the anatomical site to avoid ambiguity with ophthalmic enucleation. Spell with '-tion', not '-ciation'.
In Context
- "Enucleation of the dentigerous cyst was performed under general anaesthesia, with the associated impacted canine removed simultaneously." — Operative note
- "The consultant recommended enucleation rather than marsupialisation due to the small size of the lesion and its accessibility." — Specialist referral letter