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DONOR SITE MORBIDITY IN THE ILIAC CREST BONE GRAFT
Author(s) -
Hill Nicola M.,
Geoffrey Horne J.,
Devane Peter A.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.111
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1445-2197
pISSN - 0004-8682
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-1622.1999.01674.x
Subject(s) - medicine , iliac crest , surgery , iliac bone , patient satisfaction , bone grafting , crest , quantum mechanics , physics
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.