Bone graft harvested from the olecranon-an anatomic study

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Anatomical Studies
• Grafting Techniques

Background:

• Conventional iliac crest bone grafts require separate surgical sites and anesthesia.
• Distal radius grafts are limited as they are often the recipient site.
• The olecranon presents a potential alternative bone graft source in the upper limb.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the anatomical feasibility and versatility of olecranon bone grafts.
• To quantify the yield of cancellous and cortical-cancellous bone from the olecranon.

Main Methods:

• Dissection of eight upper limbs from four fresh cadavers.
• Demonstration of graft removal techniques for both cancellous and cortical-cancellous types.
• Measurement of harvested graft volumes and dimensions.

Main Results:

• Average cancellous bone graft volume: 3.9 cm³ (range: 3.6–4.2 cm³).
• Average cortical-cancellous graft dimensions: 4.4 cm length, 0.8 cm width, 0.4 cm thickness.
• The olecranon graft harvesting technique is straightforward.

Conclusions:

• The olecranon bone graft is an easily harvestable option for orthopedic applications.
• Provides substantial volumes of cancellous and cortical-cancellous bone for upper limb reconstruction.
• Highlights the olecranon as a viable donor site for bone grafting.