Incisional hernia through iliac crest defects. A report of three cases with a review of the literature.

Although the iliac crest is the most common site from which autogenous bone grafts are obtained, complications are surprisingly rare. One of these is incisional hernia through the resulting bony defect. Occasionally, the herniated contents may proceed to obstruction or strangulation and require emergency surgery. Elective repair of such hernias is advisable in order to avoid such complications. Attention to primary closure of bony iliac defects when complete is mandatory to prevent the occurrence of incisional hernia.