Types of Bone Grafts

If you plan on undergoing spinal fusion, such as a lateral thoracic fusion, your spine surgeon will use bone graft material to facilitate the fusion of bone. Talk to your spine surgeon about your bone graft options, which may include an autograft. This is a commonly used type of bone graft that involves taking bone from elsewhere in the patient’s body for use in the spine. For a spinal fusion, the bone is typically taken from the pelvic bone. Another option is a local bone autograft, in which the spine surgeon removes part of the spinal bones to relieve pressure on the spinal cord. This bone material may be saved for use as a graft.

Another bone graft option is allograft bone, also known as cadaver bone. This type of graft is taken from a bone bank, which collects and stores donor cadaver bone after a person’s death. The third primary type of bone graft is a synthetic graft, which is artificially created material.

At Spine Institute of Nevada, we pride ourselves on providing thorough patient education so that each of our patients can make an informed decision for his or her well-being. If you’re experiencing spine problems and want to know about your spinal surgery options in Las Vegas, contact our office at (702) 239-3787.