Picking a bone graft substitute for a distal radius with a void
How to match the graft form to your defect shape, from Elite Surgical fracture repair serving Bon Secours Mercy Health, OH.
You have a distal radius fracture with dorsal comminution and a gap that needs filling. You are looking at granules, putties, and strips and you are not sure which one stays put around your hardware. In Bon Secours Mercy Health, you want a choice that remodels fast and does not cause trouble in the joint.
Dorsal comminution leaves a void that a plate and screws cannot fill on their own. Bone needs a bridge. If you pick a graft that does not match the void shape, you risk migration, soft tissue irritation, or a weak repair. Granules can scatter into the wrist joint. A flowable graft in a syringe fills small, contained cavities completely without overpacking. A moldable strip stays where you put it in larger, uncontained defects.
Cost depends on graft volume, form, and whether you need antibiotic delivery. A single flowable syringe for a small void runs less than a moldable strip for a big defect. Adding powdered antibiotics to a graft that accepts them raises the per-case cost but may avoid a separate carrier. In Bon Secours Mercy Health, the value analysis committee will look at the total episode cost, not just the graft price.
This week, match the graft form to the defect. For a small, contained cavity, use a flowable graft like ACTIFUSE FLOW. For a larger, uncontained void, use a moldable graft like ACTIFUSE SHAPE. If infection risk is a concern, ACTIFUSE ABX lets you mix in powdered antibiotics and still handles well. Elite Surgical can bring samples and clinical evidence to your next case or committee meeting.
Once the void is filled with the right form, the graft remodels into your own bone over time. Fixation stays stable. The wrist heals without graft fragments where they should not be. You move on to rehab with one less worry.
Other things people in Bon Secours Mercy 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.
weight bearing after tibial plateau fracture with synthetic bone graft
Weight bearing depends on the fixation, not the graft. The graft provides a scaffold for bone ingrowth but does not add immediate structural support. Follow your standard postoperative protocol for the plate and screws. Most patients stay non-weight-bearing for 8 to 12 weeks, with progression based on X-ray healing. The graft will remodel over that time; early loading does not speed it up.
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 Bon Secours Mercy Health and the area around it.