Bonegrafting: Kenyatta National Hospital Experience

Abstract

This is a retrospective study in which data was retrieved from the patients' files at KNH Medical records department from January 1991 to December 2000. This data was analysed and various indices established. One eighty nine cases of bone grafting operations were considered. Males who underwent bone grafting were more than females in a ratio of 1.7:1. The most common indication for the operation was found to be non-union (33%) followed by arthrodesis (20%), most of these operations (71.4%) were done in young people in the age group (10-49) years, the youngest being 2years and the oldest 95 years. There were·a total of 157 donor sites and the most utilized donor site was the iliac crest (47.8% or 75 instances) followed by the tibia (19.1% or 30 instances). There were a total of 200 recipient sites and the commonest recipient bone was the femur (69 instances or 34.5<%). Most of the cases developed no complication (142 or 75.1 %) but among the once who did, donor site pain ( 19 patients) and recipient site infection(17 patients) were the most frequent. It is evident from this study that bone grafting using autografts is an established practice in KNH.