Autograft and nonunions: morbidity with intramedullary bone graft versus iliac crest bone graft

Abstract

This article focuses on comparing patient morbidity with harvesting bone graft for the treatment of nonunions from three different sites. Anterior iliac crest graft is the most commonly used site; however, the posterior iliac crest and intramedullary canal provide greater quantities of bone. The anterior and posterior iliac crests also have some donor site complications such as nerve injury and persistent pain. The intramedullary canal, when compared with anterior and posterior iliac crest, offers the largest quantity of bone graft with the least amount of patient donor site morbidity. The intramedullary canal also appears to be a bone graft source that can be reharvested, unlike the anterior and posterior iliac crest donor sites.