Print This PageChoosing a Bone Graft for Fusion Surgery
Question: Should I use donor bone versus my hip bone for the fusion surgery?
I am scheduled for a C4-6 fusion in the upcoming month and I assume I should use my own bone for the graft. I read from others that have had this procedure that I shouldn’t since I would never feel the same again. (Painful, long healing process and chronic pain.) I am physically active and under 50 years old (just in case that factors into this decision). What can I expect, and what bone type should I use for my surgery? What are the pros/cons of each option?
Doctor’s Response: Consider using a bone graft substitute
My preference is to use neither the patient’s bone nor cadaver bone. I use a synthetic cage (titanium) along with a bone graft substitute. I have been doing this for 8 years and have not had to subject my patients to a painful bone graft harvest nor expose them to another person’s tissue (cadaveric tissue). There is a wide range of opinions among surgeons as to what is the best fusion material, but philosophically, if the surgery can be done safer with synthetics while still achieving the goal of surgery (a fusion) then neither the patient’s bone nor cadaver bone need be chosen. For more discussion on the pros and cons of bone graft options please reference Bone Graft for Spine Fusion.
Similar Questions:
In Spine-health’s Doctor Advice section, physicians respond to frequently asked questions about back pain issues. These responses represent the opinion of one physician, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the broader medical community. The advice presented has not been peer reviewed by Spine-health’s medical advisory board.
