Evaluation of Morbidity Associated with Iliac Crest Harvest for Alveolar Cleft Bone Grafting

To evaluate the morbidity associated with iliac crest harvest for alveolar cleft grafting.

18 patients treated for alveolar clefts in oral and maxillofacial surgery unit at SRM dental college and Hospital were included. Patients were interviewed to fill a questionnaire on postoperative recovery. The donor site was evaluated for the following factors: Pain, neuropraxia, abnormal gait and scar evaluation.

The scars were evaluated, according to the satisfactory score—eleven patients (61.11%) had a score 2, Four patients (22.22%) had score 3 and three patients (16.66%) had score 1. The pain score after the first week—thirteen patients (72.22%) had score 2, five patients had score 3 (27.77%). After the first month—four patients (22.22%), had score 2, twelve patients (66.66%), had score 1 and Two patients (11.11%) had score 0. And when evaluated after 3 months, two patients (11.11%), had score 1 and sixteen patients (88.88%) had score 0. The gait was examined by asking the patient to walk and evaluated; in the first week, all eighteen patients had abnormality in gait; in the first month, five patients had abnormality in gait (27.77%), and in the third month, none of the patients had any abnormality in gait.

Harvesting cancellous bone from anterior iliac crest in young patients is well tolerated, allows early resumption of normal activities, has no effect on growth, has minimal morbidity and a reasonable aesthetic outcome.