an infection as opposed to those who are overall healthy. Risks for grafts from the iliac crest Some of the potential risks and complications of bone grafts employing the iliac crest as a donor site include: acquired bowel herniation (this becomes a risk for larger donor sites (>4 cm)). About 20 cases have been reported in the literature from 1945 until 1989 and only a few hundred cases have been reported worldwide meralgia paresthetica (injury to the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve also called Bernhardt-Roth's syndrome) pelvic instability fracture (extremely rare and usually with other factors) injury to the clunial nerves (this will cause posterior pelvic pain which is worsened by sitting) injury to the ilioinguinal nerve infection minor hematoma (a common occurrence) deep hematoma requiring surgical intervention seroma ureteral injury pseudoaneurysm of iliac artery (rare) tumor transplantation cosmetic defects (chiefly caused by not preserving the superior pelvic brim) chronic pain Bone grafts harvested from the posterior iliac crest in general have less morbidity, but depending on the type of surgery, may require a flip while the patient is under general anesthesia. Costs Bone graft procedures consist of more than just the surgery itself. The complete three-month total cost of a complex posterolateral lumbar spine fusion bone graft supplemented with graft extenders ranges from a mean of approximately US$33,860 to US$37,227. This price includes all visits in and out of the hospital for three months. Besides the cost of the bone graft itself (ranging from US$250 to US$900) other expenses for the procedure include: outpatient rehabilitation fees (US$5,000 to US$7,000), screws and rods (US$7,500), room and board (US$5,000), operating room (US$3,500), sterile supplies (US$1,100), physical therapy (US$1,000), surgeon's fees (average US$3,500), anesthesiologist fees (approximately US$350 to US$400 per hour), medication charges (US$1,000), and additional fees for services such as medical supplies, diagnostic procedures, equipment use fees, etc. See also Bone healing CNT Network Bio-Stress Sensors Graft-versus-host disease Hydroxyapatite Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Orthopedic surgery Osseointegration Periodontics References Further reading Transplantation medicine Oral and maxillofacial surgery Orthopedic surgical procedures