Background: Calvarial bone harvesting remains a controversial technique because of its potential complications described in the literature. The aim of this study is to report the early (immediate) and late complications encountered in our departement.

Methods: A retrospective study was done on 56 patients who underwent in 2011 a calvarial bone harvesting procedure. The ‘early complications’ data were collected by screening the postoperative follow-up reports. A questionnaire was sent to all patients to collect the ‘late complications’ data.

Results: From 56 questionnaires 37 were returned, only 2 cases of early postoperative complications are described: infection and vertigo. Regarding the late complications, 70% of the patients described a palpable dimple, among them 11% found it disturbing, 10% suffered from an itchy scar, 2.7% showed a local alopecia. 98% of the patients described their experience as very good or good, 2% as normal, nobody had a bad experience.

Conclusion: The morbidity of calvarial bone harvesting showed to be minimal regarding both ‘early’ as ‘late’ complications.

Key words: cranial bonegraft; complications; bone harvesting