Chapter 3. Aims of the study

The purpose of this study was to expand the body of knowledge and to develop safe methods to reduce the morbidity associated with the osseous reconstruction of the cranio-maxillofacial skeleton, particularly from the harvesting of donor site defects. This reduction in morbidity could possibly have come from two approaches. The initial approach would be to reduce morbidity from bone graft harvesting sites by the development of less invasive more conservative surgical techniques. The second approach was to eliminate altogether, the need for a donor site by using a bone graft substitute. Therefore the specific aims of the study were:

1. To determine the safety of a minimally invasive surgical approach to the anterior iliac crest using a motorized trephine, quantify the amount of bone available for harvesting with a standardized approach and determine the anatomic limitations of this technique in the unique setting permitted by the cadaver model.

2. To test the suitability and use of a minimally invasive surgical approach to the anterior iliac crest using a motorized trephine in patients requiring bone graft reconstruction in the cranio-maxillofacial skeleton particularly as an outpatient procedure.

3. To compare the morbidity associated with the use of a motorized trephine to harvest cores of bone from the anterior iliac crest with the traditional open medial approach.

4. To study the safety and applicability of coral-derived granules as a bone graft substitute in the cranio-maxillofacial skeleton.

5. To evaluate the efficacy of coral-derived granules in the reconstruction of maxillomandibular, especially dento-alveolar defects in the growing patient.