Evaluation of bone graft harvesting techniques from anterior ilium

Autogenous bone harvest from the anterior ilium is a common procedure in the surgical field. In the current study, a retrospective analysis was performed regarding the bone graft harvesting techniques from the anterior ilium. The retrospective analysis with a 1-year period included 16 patients who had undergone iliac bone grafting for oral and maxillofacial reconstruction. Medial and lateral approaches were assessed. No major complications were observed. One patient undergoing medial approach and 2 patients undergoing lateral approach experienced gait disturbances at the postoperative period. Harvesting bone from the anterior ilium did not result in greater donor site morbidity or complications in the early term. The medial approach revealed an earlier recovery time than the lateral one. Anterior ilium is a good choice for the reconstruction of jaws, but donor site morbidity remains a problem and should be considered in the treatment plan.