An evaluation of calvarial and iliac donor sites in alveolar cleft grafting.

A clinical study evaluating the use of calvarial (two different techniques of harvest) versus iliac donor bone in secondary unilateral alveolar cleft reconstruction based on clinical and radiographic assessment was conducted. Both iliac bone and the Hudson brace harvested calvarial bone resulted in high rates of radiographic evidence of osseous continuity between the maxillary segments and clinical resolution of the alveolar cleft defect. Calvarial bone obtained with the craniotome had a lower rate of success that was statistically different from the other two groups. The utilization of calvarial bone and the implications of harvest technique on graft transfer biology are discussed.