Bone Grafts in Trauma and Orthopaedics

Abstract

Worldwide, there are millions of patients each year suffering from bone-related illness due to trauma, degenerative diseases, infections or oncology that require orthopaedic intervention involving bone grafts. This literature review aims to analyse the characteristics of the different bone grafts: autografts, allografts and synthetic bone substitutes. The review will assess their medical value based on their effectiveness as well as scrutinising any drawbacks. The goal is to identify which options can give the optimal result for a patient being treated for a bone defect.Bone autografts remain the gold standard since there are no issues with histocompatibility or disease transmission while possessing the ideal characteristics: osteogenicity, osteoconductivity and osteoinductivity. However, synthetic options such as calcium phosphate ceramics are becoming popular as a viable alternative for treatment since they can be produced in desired quantitates and yield excellent results while not having the problem of donor site morbidity as seen with autografts. Furthermore, advancements in fields such as bone tissue engineering and three-dimensional printing are generating promising results and could provide a path for excellent treatment in the future. The emergence of such innovations highlights the importance and the constant need for improvement in bone grafting.

Biological Characteristics of Polyurethane-Based Bone-Replacement Materials

“…The proportion of the elderly population is growing, causing a stable global trend of increasing degenerative diseases and increasing frequency of osteoporosis [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]. At the same time, a constantly growing number of bone injuries [ 6 , 7 , 8 ] and of bone cancers [ 9 ] are being recorded. Due to these trends, there is a progressively increasing demand for bone replacement materials in the fields of modern traumatology, orthopedics, and oncology.…”

“…Unfortunately, no osteoplastic material with ideal properties yet exists. Currently, autografts are still the gold standard for osteoplasty [ 8 , 12 , 13 ], but their use has certain drawbacks (the need for additional surgery, increased risk of infection, insufficient amount of donor material, additional discomfort for the patient). The problems associated with the use of allo- and xenotransplants [ 14 , 15 ] are forcing us to look for alternative materials, and so the development of artificial compounds for osteoplasty is actively continuing.…”

The Delivery and Activation of Growth Factors Using Nanomaterials for Bone Repair

“…The repairing of large bone defects remains a significant challenge in the clinic [ 1 ]. Over 2 million bone grafting surgeries are performed worldwide each year to restore the functions of defects [ 2 ], and the global market for bone grafting materials is expected to reach USD 1.4 billion by 2025 [ 3 ]. Among various grafting materials, autologous bone grafts have ideal physiologic properties and have been used for centuries [ 4 ].…”

3D Printable Composite Biomaterials Based on GelMA and Hydroxyapatite Powders Doped with Cerium Ions for Bone Tissue Regeneration

“…Producing novel scaffold materials to replace or repair bone defects offers great potential when considering the 2.2 million bone graft surgeries performed worldwide annually [1][2][3]. Currently, research in the field of tissue engineering and implicitly that of regenerative medicine, focuses on the development of biomaterials that restore, maintain or improve tissue function, materials that could revolutionize bone therapy surgery for millions of patients.…”