Morbidity of iliac crest bone graft harvesting in adolescent deformity surgery.

The iliac crest as a source of bone graft has remained popular and continues to be the standard source of bone graft material in spinal arthrodesis surgery. The purpose of the present study was to quantify the frequency and severity of posterior iliac crest bone graft harvest site pain associated with adolescent spinal deformity correction procedures. Patients were evaluated prospectively at a minimum of 1 year after a spinal fusion procedure for idiopathic scoliosis or kyphosis.