Fracture of Anterior Iliac Crest Following Bone Graft Harvest in an Anorexic Patient: Case Report and Review of the Literature

In the treatment of jaw bone atrophies, autologus bone is still considered the gold standard because of its excellent osteoconductive, osteoinductive, and osteogenetic proprieties and lack of immunogenicity, which allow better graft integration and stability. Although various donor sites are available, the iliac crest represents the best source of corticocancellous bone, and literature suggests that it has low morbidity. However, this case report emphasizes that patients with systemic diseases such as anorexia should be carefully evaluated before such an operation, because unfavorable bone conditions may jeopardize the outcome. A 47-year-old woman needing rehabilitation of the upper arch was considered for iliac crest harvesting. She stated that she had suffered from anorexia for 30 years. A corticocancellous block was harvested by a bone saw using an anterolateral approach to the outer table of the right anterior iliac crest. The postoperative course was uneventful, but 13 days later, she complained of a...