Bone Graft

A bone graft is surgery to patch a damaged or diseased bone with donated bone tissue. A surgeon will transplant bone tissue from somewhere else in your body or from a donor into your bone. The transplant is called a graft.

Surgeons use bone grafts to repair damaged sections of bones, or to insert healthy bone tissue into an area that isn’t healing correctly. The graft fills in gaps in your bone and helps it heal back together as it should. Your body will regrow bone tissue around the graft so your bone heals into one piece.

There are several reasons you may need a bone graft, including:

• Nonunion or malunion complications after a broken bone
• Bone loss in your jaw
• Bone tissue death
• As part of joint fusion surgery
• Surgeries, like resection or limb salvage after a severe injury

Types of bone grafts

There are several types of bone grafts:

• Allograft: This is a graft from another human donor. The donated tissue is preserved in a bone bank until it’s needed.
• Autograft: These grafts come from another part of your body. Your surgeon will take a section of bone from one part of your body and move it to where it’s needed. Autografts usually come from the iliac crest on the top of your pelvis or your calf bone.
• Composite/substitute grafts: This type uses a mix of an autograft and other materials to form a graft. The non-bone can be sterile ceramic or coral that acts like a scaffold for your new bone tissue to grow on.
• Synthetic: A synthetic graft is an implant that’s made entirely of artificial material. It’s often rough and porous so your bone tissue can grab tightly to it as it heals around the implant.

Benefits/risks

Helping your bone heal is the biggest benefit of getting a bone graft. If you need one, it’s the best way to help your bone heal.

Like all surgeries, bone grafts have some risks, including:

• Infections
• Problems with the implant or fasteners that hold it in place
• Allograft rejection
• Fractures around the graft
• Chronic pain

What happens during a bone graft?

The type you need affects what happens during a bone grafting procedure. But in general, your surgeon will:

1. Give you anesthesia so you sleep through the procedure and don’t feel any pain.
2. Make incisions (cuts) near the damaged bone to access it.
3. Remove dead or diseased tissue from the bone.
4. Harvest the autograft from another bone in your body, if needed.
5. Insert the bone graft into your damaged bone.
6. Secure your bone and the graft in place with fasteners like screws or pins
7. Close the incisions.

After surgery, your care team will move you to a recovery area. They’ll make sure you wake up from the anesthesia safely. They’ll tell you when it’s safe to go home.

Bone graft recovery

Bone graft recovery times vary. It depends on a few factors, including:

• Your age
• Which type you need and where the bone is
• If you experience any complications
• Any other injuries or health conditions you have

It can take anywhere from a few weeks to up to a year to recover completely after a bone grafting procedure. In general, allografts and composite grafts take the longest to heal.

You’ll need to wear a cast, splint or brace to hold that part of your body still. This makes sure the graft heals in the right position. If the graft is in a leg, you’ll need to avoid putting weight on it. You may need physical therapy to help you regain your strength and ability to move.

Your surgery care team will give you a better idea of what to expect while you recover. They’ll give you specific instructions and guidelines to manage pain and reduce your risk of complications.

When should I call my healthcare provider?

Your surgeon will let you know how often you’ll need follow-up exams and imaging tests. They’ll take pictures of your bone to make sure it’s healing back together as it should.

Contact your care team right away if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Severe pain or swelling
• Bleeding
• A fever
• Infection signs like skin discoloration, pus, drainage or a feeling of warmth around your surgery site