A retroperitoneal tumor as a late complication of the use of bone wax

Ordinary bone wax was used to stop bleeding from the iliac crest after procurement of autogenous bone graft harvesting. This gave rise to a large, symptomatic retroperitoneal tumor, which had to be removed operatively 19 years later. Microscopically, a bone wax granuloma was diagnosed. As far as the authors know this is the first case reported with such late and severe clinical complications after the use of bone wax.