title: Donor site morbidity in the iliac crest bone graft.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Open iliac crest bone grafting is a common surgical procedure with recognized short-term complications. The present paper documents the medium- to long-term complications and level of patient satisfaction following the procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-three patients undergoing an open iliac crest bone graft over the past 6 years at Wellington Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. All patients completed a postal questionnaire which assessed their current pain, sensory changes in and below the scar, scar appearance and overall appearance with the bone graft donor site.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixteen patients (21.9%) reported pain, 11 patients (15%) stated that their scar was sensitive to touch and 19 patients (22%) reported a degree of sensory change below the scar. Six patients (8.2%) felt that the scar appearance was totally unacceptable. Overall satisfaction, however, was high with 70 patients (95.8%) 'fairly satisfied' or 'totally satisfied' with their iliac crest donor site.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bone grafting from the iliac crest is a relatively benign procedure in terms of patient satisfaction, and the most significant morbidity is pain.
authors.affiliation: Wellington School of Medicine, New Zealand.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Horne
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Devane
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006941:Hyperesthesia / Q000209:etiology; D007085:Ilium / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires