Donor site morbidity after bone harvesting from the anterior iliac crest.
OBJECTIVE
Autologous bone grafting is a common, standard procedure in maxillofacial surgery. We investigated complications of harvesting bone from the anterior iliac crest.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis with a 2-year observational period included 75 patients who had undergone iliac bone grafting. Two techniques were examined: the closed osteotomy using a cylinder osteotome (Shepard) and an open procedure with a saw.


RESULTS
One major complication, a fracture of the anterior superior iliac spine, was observed (0.7%). Regarding long-term morbidity, 3 patients (4%) suffered from persistent pain and 2 (2.7%) from persistent sensory disturbance. A correlation by gender showed greater severity of pain directly after graft harvesting in women (P(Wilcoxon) < or = .001). Harvesting of corticocancellous blocks caused more pain than with the cylinder osteotome (P(Median) < or = .07).


CONCLUSIONS
The morbidity after iliac crest harvesting was found to be moderate to low, but the procedure is still necessary and frequently used.
Schaaf
Heidrun
H
Department of Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg GmbH, Giessen, Germany. Heidrun.Schaaf@uniklinikum-giessen.de
Lendeckel
Stefan
S
Howaldt
Hans-Peter
HP
Streckbein
Philipp
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000601:surgery; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007085:Ilium / Q000601:surgery*; D007571:Jaw Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D009807:Odontogenic Cysts / Q000601:surgery; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020886:Somatosensory Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D020858:Tissue and Organ Harvesting / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult