A prospective study on the morbidity resulting from calvarial bone harvesting for intraoral reconstruction

Calvarial bone grafts are used for reconstruction of the maxilla or mandible to enable implant placement. The aim of this study was to assess the morbidity resulting from the use of calvarial bone grafts to reconstruct the maxilla and mandible. Thirty-six consecutive patients were included in this prospective study (14 men and 22 women; mean age 59 +/- 8.2 years). Perioperative and postoperative complications related to harvesting of the calvarial bone were scored, as well as the occurrence of intraoral complications (average follow-up 25 +/- 12 months). Perioperative exposure of the dura occurred in four patients and the graft broke during harvesting in five patients. With a change in the technique, these complications no longer occurred. Postoperative pain levels at the calvarial donor site were low (visual analogue scale (VAS) 1.9 +/- 2.0 on day 1) and of short duration (5.2 +/- 4.7 days to becoming pain-free). In all cases sufficient bone could be harvested to enable the placement of implants. The exposure of the dura and the intraoral complications were of no clinical consequence. Therefore, calvarial bone grafts appear to be promising for use in pre-implant intraoral reconstructions.