Morbidity at the iliac crest donor site following bone grafting of the cleft alveolus

We retrospectively analysed all cases of iliac crest bone graft harvest for secondary grafting of the cleft alveolus during an 11-year period. The casenotes were reviewed and postal questionnaires sent to all patients. Of 73 consecutive patients, 57 (78%) were male, and the mean (S.D.) age at operation was 10 (1) years. A completed questionnaire was received from 72 patients (99%). The median stay in hospital was 3 days (range 2–5). The median time until the child could walk “normally” was 7 days (range 0–56). Thirty-seven patients (51%) had a postoperative limp, which resolved after a median of 7 days (range 3–56). There were two (3%) superficial donor site infections. The median length of scar was 60 mm (range 40–100) and patient satisfaction was high, with a median visual analogue scale of 9/10 (range 2–10). Harvesting bone from the iliac crest for alveolar bone grafting is well tolerated by patients, has few important complications, and gives an aesthetically acceptable scar at the donor site.