title: Tibial bone fractures occurring after medioproximal tibial bone grafts for oral and maxillofacial reconstruction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oral and maxillofacial defects often require bone grafts to restore missing tissues. Well-recognized donor sites include the anterior and posterior iliac crest, rib, and intercalvarial diploic bone. The proximal tibia has also been explored as an alternative donor site. The use of the tibia for bone graft has many benefits, such as procedural ease, adequate volume of cancellous and cortical bone, and minimal complications. Although patients rarely complain of pain, swelling, discomfort, or dysfunction, such as gait disturbance, both patients and surgeons should pay close attention to such after effects due to the possibility of tibial fracture. The purpose of this study is to analyze tibial fractures that occurring after osteotomy for a medioproximal tibial graft.
  
  
  METHODS
  An analysis was intended for patients who underwent medioproximal tibial graft between March 2004 and December 2011 in Inha University Hospital. A total of 105 subjects, 30 females and 75 males, ranged in age from 17 to 78 years. We investigated the age, weight, circumstance, and graft timing in relation to tibial fracture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tibial fractures occurred in four of 105 patients. There were no significant differences in graft region, shape, or scale between the fractured and non-fractured patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients who undergo tibial grafts must be careful of excessive external force after the operation.
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
authors: Il-Kyu
authors: IK
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
authors: Hyun-Young
authors: HY
authors: Cho
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
authors: Sang-Pill
authors: SP
authors: Pae
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
authors: Bum-Sang
authors: BS
authors: Jung
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
authors: Hyun-Woo
authors: HW
authors: Cho
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Department of Dentistry, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
authors: Ji-Hoon
authors: JH
authors: Seo
keywords: Bone graft; Postoperative complication; Tibia; Tibial fracture