Autograft vs synthetic bone graft substitute for fusion?
Straight answers from Elite Surgical, medical equipment supplier for IU Health, IN.
You are planning a fusion at IU Health and the question keeps coming up: take iliac crest autograft or use a synthetic substitute? Autograft works, but the harvest incision adds OR time and donor site pain for your patient. You want to know if ACTIFUSE or ALTAPORE can give you a solid fusion without that second surgical site.
Autograft works. That is not the problem. The problem is the second incision, the extra OR time, and the donor site pain your patient carries for weeks after an iliac crest harvest. Synthetic bone graft substitutes like ACTIFUSE and ALTAPORE use a bone-like mineral your patient's body can remodel into new bone. Published single-level fusion studies show rates close to autograft, without the harvest wound and without the added surgical time.
Synthetic graft is billed per volume, so cost depends on how much you need and your IU Health contract. A single-level fusion may use 5 to 10 cc. Autograft has no graft charge, but the harvest adds OR time, a second incision, and post-op donor site care. In many cases, the total episode cost comes close once you count the extra minutes, extra trays, and nursing care during the harvest and closure.
Start with one case. Pick a single-level fusion patient with good bone quality and no active infection. Ask Elite Surgical to bring ACTIFUSE or ALTAPORE samples and the published fusion data to your next IU Health value analysis meeting. Ask them to cover the case with you and in-service your OR staff on graft prep. Do not default to autograft just because it is familiar. For complex multi-level cases, combine synthetic with local bone or a small amount of autograft to get the best of both.
The fusion heals. Your patient has one incision instead of two and reports less pain in the days after surgery. Your OR team knows the graft prep by heart, so turnover is faster on the next case. You have published data on file to support the choice at every IU Health review, and your patient avoids the donor site scar altogether.
Other things people in IU Health ask
bone graft substitute not integrating
Poor integration often comes from low porosity or inadequate bioactivity in the graft material. Switch to a silicate-substituted calcium phosphate with 80%+ porosity like ACTIFUSE or ALTAPORE. The enhanced porosity allows better bone ingrowth and vascularization.
how to choose bone graft substitute spine fusion
Look for porosity above 75%, silicate substitution for bioactivity, and clinical fusion rate data. Check delivery options for your approach - syringe for MIS, moldable for open procedures. Elite Surgical offers multiple ACTIFUSE and ALTAPORE formats for different surgical needs.
consistent bone graft substitute results
Consistent results need consistent material quality and technique. Use bone graft substitutes with proven fusion rates like ALTAPORE's 86.3% rate. Ensure proper hydration, avoid overpacking, and maintain sterile handling. Elite Surgical provides technique guides for optimal results.
bone graft substitute syringe clogging
Clogging usually means the particle size is wrong for the delivery system or the material is too thick. ACTIFUSE FLOW is specifically designed for syringe delivery with consistent particle size. ACTIFUSE MIS offers minimally invasive delivery without clogging issues.
when to use bone graft substitute vs allograft
Use synthetic bone graft substitutes like ACTIFUSE when you want consistent quality without disease transmission risk. Allograft works for structural support in large defects. Synthetics are better for biological fusion enhancement in routine cases.
Ready to talk?
Elite Surgical handles medical equipment supplier in IU Health and the area around it.