title: Pneumatic gouge versus standard method for iliac crest harvesting.
abstract: Fifty consecutive patients undergoing posterior lumbar fusion by a single surgeon were prospectively randomized in a study designed to evaluate the efficacy of using a pneumatic oscillating gouge to obtain posterior outer table iliac crest bone graft versus the standard method of using osteotomes and gouges. Variables analyzed included graft harvesting time, blood loss, weight of graft obtained, and graft site morbidity. Mean graft harvesting time with the pneumatic gouge was 1 minute 44 seconds (range, 1 min 5 sec to 3 min 15 sec) compared with the standard method time of 4 minutes 4 seconds (range, 2 min 15 sec to 8 min 56 sec) (P = 0.0001). Blood loss was also less, with a mean of 25.4 cc for the pneumatic gouge compared with 65.2 cc using the standard method (P = 0.0001). There were no complications with the graft site in either group. We conclude that the pneumatic gouge is a viable alternative to standard bone graft harvesting techniques. Benefits include shorter operative time and decreased blood loss without an increased morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson.
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Duncan
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: McGuire
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Meydrech
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007085:Ilium / Q000637:transplantation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors