A treatment algorithm for adult ameloblastomas according to the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital experience.

During a 13-year period (from 1994 to 2007), in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department of the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, 116 new cases of adult ameloblastomas, were analyzed for treatment composed against radiographic presentation, size, histological type. Follow-up and recurrence were also analyzed. Treatment was surgical consisting of enucleations (82%), segmental mandibulectomy (8.3%) resections (24.7%) 85% of them underwent reconstruction. The follow-up was documented for 97%. More than two recurrences occurred in 21% of the patients after the first enucleation: 66% with a "follicular" histological diagnosis. Lenthly, a therapeutic algorithm is suggested for adult ameloblastomas that underlines the importance of the conservative enucleation treatment as far as possible.