Learn About Bone Graft

What is the definition of Bone Graft?

A bone graft is surgery to place new bone or bone substitutes into spaces around a broken bone or bone defects.

What are the alternative names for Bone Graft?

Autograft - bone; Allograft - bone; Fracture - bone graft; Surgery - bone graft; Autologous bone graft

What happens during a Bone Graft?

A bone graft can be taken from the person's own healthy bone (this is called an autograft). Or, it can be taken from frozen, donated bone (allograft). In some cases, a manmade (synthetic) bone substitute is used.

You will be asleep and feel no pain (general anesthesia).

During surgery, the surgeon makes a cut over the bone defect. The bone graft can be taken from areas close to the bone defect or more commonly from the pelvis. The bone graft is shaped and inserted into and around the area. The bone graft may need to be held in place with pins, plates, or screws.

Why would someone need a Bone Graft?

Bone grafts are used to:

  • Fuse joints to prevent movement
  • Repair broken bones (fractures) that have bone loss
  • Repair injured bone that has not healed
What are the risks?

Risks of anesthesia and surgery in general include:

  • Reactions to medicines, breathing problems
  • Bleeding, blood clots, infection

Risks of this surgery include:

  • Pain at the body area where the bone was removed
  • Injury of nerves near the bone grafting area
  • Stiffness of the area
How to prepare for a Bone Graft

Tell your surgeon what medicines you are taking. This includes medicines, supplements, or herbs you bought without a prescription.

Follow instructions about stopping blood thinners, such as warfarin (Coumadin), dabigatran (Pradaxa), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), or NSAIDs such as aspirin or ibuprofen. These might cause increased bleeding during the surgery.

On the day of the surgery:

  • Follow instructions about not eating or drinking anything before surgery.
  • Take the medicines your provider told you to take with a small sip of water.
  • If you are going to the hospital from home, be sure to arrive at the scheduled time.
What to expect after a Bone Graft

Recovery time depends on the injury or defect being treated and the size of the bone graft. Your recovery may take 2 weeks to 3 months. The bone graft itself will take up to 3 months or longer to heal.

You may be told to avoid extreme exercise for up to 6 months. Ask your provider or nurse what you can and cannot safely do.

You will need to keep the bone graft area clean and dry. Follow instructions about showering.

Do not smoke. Smoking slows or prevents bone healing. If you smoke, the graft is more likely to fail. Be aware that nicotine patches slow healing just like smoking does. You may also be told not to take non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen or naproxen. These drugs can slow down bone fusion.

You may need to use a bone stimulator. These are machines that can be worn over the surgical area to stimulate bone growth. Not all bone graft surgeries require the use of bone stimulators. Your provider will let you know if you'll need to use a bone stimulator.

What is the outlook (prognosis) for Bone Graft?

Most bone grafts help the bone defect heal with little risk of graft rejection.

Who are the top Bone Graft Local Doctors?

New York University

530 1st Ave, 
New York, NY 
Offers Telehealth

Kenneth Egol is an Orthopedics provider in New York, New York. Dr. Egol and is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in Bone Graft. His top areas of expertise are Compartment Syndrome, Acute Pain, Radial Nerve Dysfunction, Bone Graft, and Hip Replacement.

Sinai Hospital Of Baltimore, Inc

5401 Old Court Rd, 
Randallstown, MD 

Michael Mont is an Orthopedics provider in Randallstown, Maryland. Dr. Mont and is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in Bone Graft. His top areas of expertise are Osteonecrosis, Osteoarthritis, Osteolysis Syndrome Recessive, Knee Replacement, and Hip Replacement.

 
 
 
 
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Songnam, KR 

Young-kyun Kim practices in Songnam, Republic of Korea. Kim and is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in Bone Graft. Their top areas of expertise are Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Prognathism, TMJ Disorders, Bone Graft, and Osteotomy.

What are the latest Bone Graft Clinical Trials?
Prospective, Randomized, Controlled, Blinded Pivotal Study In Subjects Undergoing A Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) At One Or Two Levels Using Infuse™ Bone Graft With an Intervertebral Body Fusion Device and Posterior Supplemental Fixation For The Treatment Of Symptomatic Degenerative Disease Of The Lumbosacral Spine

Summary: This is a global, multi-center, prospective, randomized, blinded, controlled pivotal study. Clinical and radiological evaluation will be performed preoperatively and postoperatively up to 24 months; and endpoint success will be determined at 24 months postoperatively. Overall a maximum of 1017 subjects will be enrolled and treated. The purpose of the study is to provide safety and effectiveness da...

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A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Safety and Feasibility of Induction of Mixed Chimerism in Severe Aplastic Anemia Patients With COH-MC-17: A Non-Myeloablative/ Reduced-Intensity, Conditioning Regimen and CD4+ T-Cell-Depleted Haploidentical Hematopoietic Transplant

Summary: This phase I trial evaluates the safety and feasibility of using a reduced-intensity regimen of cyclophosphamide, pentostatin, and anti-thymocyte globulin prior to a CD4+ T-cell depleted haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplant (haploHCT) for the treatment of patients with severe aplastic anemia that does not respond to treatment (refractory) or that has come back (recurrent). Cyclophosphamide...

Who are the sources who wrote this article ?

Published Date: September 20, 2022
Published By: C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, San Francisco, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

What are the references for this article ?

Brinker MR, O'Connor DP. Nonunions: evaluation and treatment. In: Browner BD, Jupiter JB, Krettek C, Anderson PA, eds. Skeletal Trauma: Basic Science, Management, and Reconstruction. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 26.

Seitz IA, Teven CM, Reid RR. Repair and grafting of bone. In: Gurtner GC, Neligan PC, eds. Plastic Surgery, Volume 1: Principles. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 18.