When can I put weight on my leg after tibial plateau surgery with synthetic graft?
Straight answer for surgeons and patients in IU Health, IN, from the fracture repair team at Elite Surgical.
You fixed the tibial plateau fracture. The void is packed with ACTIFUSE synthetic graft. Now the patient in your IU Health clinic is asking the same question every day: when can they stand on it. You need a protocol that makes sense for the graft material, not just the hardware.
The graft does not decide your weight bearing timeline. ACTIFUSE is a scaffold. It gives bone cells a place to crawl across the defect. It has no structural strength on its own. The plate and screws carry the load. Your decision rests on the fixation you placed.
Typical non weight bearing lasts 8 to 12 weeks. A simple split depression fracture with solid screw purchase may trend toward 8 weeks. A comminuted bicondylar fracture with a long plate often needs the full 12 weeks. Progression starts with toe touch, then partial weight bearing, then full. Each step depends on X rays showing bridging callus across the grafted void.
Write the weight bearing order based on your hardware and bone quality. Tell the patient the graft is busy remodeling. Early loading does not speed that process. It risks the fixation. If you want clinical papers on ACTIFUSE remodeling timelines for your next follow up, call Elite Surgical. We cover IU Health cases and can bring the evidence to your office.
Once the X rays show consolidation, the leg gets stronger every week. The graft resorbs and is replaced by living bone. The patient walks without a limp. The question they asked in your clinic finally has a quiet, solid answer under their feet.
Other things people in IU Health ask
bone graft for large tibial plateau defect
Pick a graft that resists compression and supports the articular surface. A moldable, high-porosity graft like ALTAPORE SHAPE packs into irregular voids and stays put. For smaller subchondral gaps, a flowable graft delivered by syringe gives complete fill without leaving dead space. Always use it with rigid internal fixation; the graft is not load-bearing on its own.
how to choose bone graft substitute for distal radius fracture
Match the graft form to the void shape. For a small, contained cavity, a flowable graft in a syringe (like ACTIFUSE FLOW) fills every corner without overpacking. For a larger, uncontained defect, a moldable graft (like ACTIFUSE SHAPE) holds its form and does not migrate. If you need antibiotic delivery, ACTIFUSE ABX gives you enhanced handling plus the option to mix in powdered antibiotics. Avoid granules that can scatter into the joint.
cost of bone graft substitute for calcaneus fracture
Calcaneus fractures often need 5cc to 10cc of graft. Price it by volume, not by level. Synthetic grafts like ACTIFUSE are priced per cc. Ask your rep for a per-case cost breakdown that includes the delivery system. Compare that to the cost of a second surgery if the void is left unfilled or collapses.
synthetic bone graft safe open fracture
Synthetic grafts like ACTIFUSE are inorganic and do not provide a food source for bacteria the way allograft can. They can be used in a contaminated field after thorough debridement and irrigation. Many surgeons place the graft at the index procedure to maintain space and deliver local antibiotics mixed into the graft. If there is gross purulence, stage the grafting for a second look 48 to 72 hours later.
ACTIFUSE FLOW vs ACTIFUSE SHAPE fracture
For narrow, deep voids where you need the graft to flow into crevices, use ACTIFUSE FLOW. Its syringe delivery lets you place it precisely without overpacking. For a wide, shallow defect that needs to hold its shape while you close, ACTIFUSE SHAPE molds to the cavity and stays in place. If the void is both deep and wide, start with FLOW to fill the bottom, then cap it with SHAPE.
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Elite Surgical handles fracture repair in IU Health and the area around it.