Donor Site Evaluation: Anterior Iliac Crest Following Secondary Alveolar Bone Grafting

Abstract

The use of autogenous bone graft for Secondary alveolar bone grafting is well established in the treatment of cleft lip and palate patients. To evaluate post-operative morbidity of anterior iliac crest graft after secondary alveolar bone grafting in cleft patients. Forty patients during the period from July 2008 to March 2013, who underwent secondary alveolar bone grafting by harvesting graft from anterior iliac crest in Mamata Dental Hospital, Khammam, Andhra Pradesh, India are included in the present study. Unilateral and bilateral cleft patients who had undergone secondary alveolar bone grafting (SABG) with anterior iliac crest as their donor site have been selected and post- operative complications from the surgery were evaluated with the help of a questionnaire which included pain, gait disturbances, numbness and scar problems (infection, irritation). Patients who were operated gave maximum score for pain as 8 on visual analogue scale. No pain was observed in any of the cases after 8 days, gait disturbances were seen in all patients (limping) for 2-6 days, there was no post-operative numbness with all the patients returning to their routine in 6- 15 days and 90% of the patients gave a satisfied response towards scar. From the results in our study the morbidity after harvesting bone from iliac crest was found to be moderate to low, which had minimal complications and were well tolerated and greater acceptance from the patient.