Kirschner-wire and Bone Cement is a Viable Alternative to Reconstruction of Large Iliac Bone Defects after Strut Bone Graft Harvesting.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and efficacy of iliac crest defect reconstruction using Kirschner-wire (K-wire)/polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) versus traditional autologous rib graft reconstruction.

SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The iliac crest has been the preferred donor site for strut bone graft for various spinal fusion surgeries.

METHODS: Seventy-three patients [44 males and 29 females (average age: 57.2 y)] were divided into two groups: the rib group (35 patients) and the K-wire/PMMA group (38 patients). All operations involved anterior spinal interbody fusion. Patients were followed-up, on average, for 34.2 months using plain radiographs and both pain and cosmesis visual analog scales (VAS) to assess the clinical results after surgery.

RESULTS: Almost all patients had pain VAS scores of≤1 and grade 1 cosmesis VAS scores with no significant difference between the two groups in terms of either pain or cosmesis (P=1.00 and 0.505, respectively). In addition, few complications were noted in either group. Radiographic complications in the rib group and the K-wire group numbered 4 (11%) and 2 (5%), respectively. but did not significantly differ between the two groups (P=0.418). One case required intraoperative revision of the length of the K-wire and one case needed re-operation for iliac ring fracture and K-wire migration. An additional case required revision due to a bad fall.

CONCLUSION: Kirschner-wire and bone cement reconstruction is an effective and safe alternative method for large iliac bone defect repair when autologous rib graft is not available.