BACKGROUND: Iliac crest is the most preferred autogenous bone graft harvesting donor site while it has sorts of complications like prolonged pain, hematoma, and fracture. Harvesting cancellous bone from proximal tibia is also increasingly being used because of lower complications and less donor site pain. However, there are lack of studies to compare these two donor sites in detail. Thus, we proposed to investigate the available amount of autogenous bone graft from the proximal tibia.
METHODS: Fifty-one patients who underwent simultaneous bone graft harvest from the PT and the AIC to fill up the given critical sized bone defects were enrolled in this study. We prospectively collected data including the weight of the harvested bone, donor site pain using the visual analog scale (VAS) score, and complications between the two sites.
RESULTS: The mean weight of cancellous bone harvested from the PT was greater than AIC (33.2g vs. 27.4g, p = 0.001). The mean VAS score was significantly lesser in the PT up to 60 days after harvesting (p < 0.001). There was persistent pain up to 90 days in four PT patients and in seven AIC patients. The major complication was reported only in AIC patients (11.8%).
CONCLUSIONS: Harvesting cancellous bone from the PT is an acceptable alternative to the AIC for autogenous bone grafting owing to availability of more weighted graft bone and less donor site pain.

BACKGROUND: Autograft bone provides an excellent substrate for multilevel arthrodesis after anterior discectomy and is inexpensive. However, the use of tricortical bone could increase the discomfort for the patient.
METHODS: We reviewed cases of cervical disc diseases operated on by a single neurosurgeon (AS), within the period June 2000-December 2011. A total of 221 patients were considered for the present study; 109 female, 112 male, averaging 49 years of age. Only patients who could be followed up for at least one year were included in the present study. The grafts obtained with the technique described are bi- (and not tri-) cortical, and always of sufficient size in order to fit two spaces if necessary.
RESULTS: The technique is not associated with long-term significant donor site pain except for a striking minority of patients, it shortens the hospital stay, it offers comparable results to the published surgical series in which cage and/or modern implants are used.
CONCLUSIONS: Autograft bone can be reasonably considered as one of the possible alternatives to be used in the surgical management of cervical disk disease.