NONVASCULARIZED AUTOGENOUS BONE-GRAFTS FOR CRANIOFACIAL SKELETAL AUGMENTATION AND REPLACEMENT

Autogenous nonvascularized bone grafts play an important role in the r econstruction of complex craniomaxillofacial defects. Experimental ani mal data have demonstrated that grafts from membranous bone donor site s tend to undergo less resorption than grafts from endochondral donor sites, probably because of the different bony architecture of each of these types of grafts. Of all the potential donor sites, the harvest o f bone graft from the calvarium is associated with the least overall m orbidity. Surgeons should be aware of the biologic basis for the succe ssful application of free autogenous bone grafts.