Complications of posterior iliac crest bone grafting in spine surgery in children.

STUDY DESIGN: The perioperative and postoperative complications associated with harvesting posterior iliac crest bone graft in children were reviewed. A retrospective study was performed and a questionnaire interview conducted.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the morbidity associated with posterior iliac crest bone graft in children.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Iliac crest bone is commonly used as a source of bone graft in spine surgery. Although there are multiple reports of complications in adults, there are no reports in children.

METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of 214 consecutive children who underwent spinal fusion with posterior iliac crest bone graft from 1990 through 1996. An interview was conducted of 87 patients with normal mental status, predominantly those with idiopathic scoliosis with a minimum of 2 years' follow-up (mean, 55 months).

RESULTS: The review showed one (0.5%) instance of arterial injury in the sciatic notch. Two (1%) patients had infections, both of which resolved with a single irrigation and débridement. There was one documented instance of sacroiliac penetration that did not cause clinical problems. The chart review showed three (1.4%) instances of continued pain and one (0.5%) of numbness. By contrast to the few reports of pain in the chart review, responses to an interview of 87 patients showed 21 (24%) children reporting pain at the iliac crest site, with 13 (15%) reporting problems with daily activities. The self-reported pain, on a scale of 1 to 10, ranged from 1 to 10 with a mean of 4. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) were taken by eight (9%) children for pain at the bone graft site. Five (6%) reported skin irritation, and 18 (20%) mentioned numbness surrounding the scar.

CONCLUSION: The perioperative rate of complications in iliac crest bone grafting in children is low (2%). The complication of pain (24%) and pain that is severe enough to interfere with daily activity (15%) is significant at a mean follow-up of more than 4 years. The true extent of pain and numbness after posterior iliac crest bone grafting in children was severely underreported in the medical records and may be underrecognized.