Prospective evaluation of morbidity associated with iliac crest harvest for alveolar cleft grafting

Purpose: This study prospectively evaluated the morbidity associated with iliac crest bone harvest when performed for alveolar cleft grafting. Patients and Methods: Twenty-two consecutive patients who underwent an alveolar cleft graft with iliac crest bone harvest were evaluated. The estimated blood loss, length of hip incision, and volume of bone that was harvested were recorded. The duration of time until postoperative ambulation and the length of hospitalization were measured. Results: All patients tolerated the iliac harvest without major complication, and the volume of bone was sufficient in all but one case. Postoperatively, ambulation occurred at an average of 3 hours 18 minutes. Twenty-one patients were discharged the day after surgery; one patient had the surgery performed as an outpatient. Conclusions: Harvesting cancellous bone from the iliac crest does not result in delayed ambulation or prolonged hospitalization. The morbidity that has been reported to occur with iliac crest bone harvest was not consistent with the results of this study.