ACTIFUSE FLOW vs ACTIFUSE SHAPE for a fracture void?
Which ACTIFUSE fits the void? Fracture repair guidance for University Hospitals Cleveland, OH.
You are standing at the back table at University Hospitals Cleveland with a distal radius fracture that left a metaphyseal void. ACTIFUSE FLOW is loaded in a syringe. ACTIFUSE SHAPE is sitting in its tray. You need to know which one fills the gap and handles the way this case demands.
You are looking at a fracture that leaves a gap in the bone after you reduce it. That gap is a void. You see it in distal radius, tibial plateau, and calcaneus cases. After you reduce the fragments, a hole remains where the bone was crushed. If you do not fill it, new bone has no bridge to grow across. ACTIFUSE FLOW and ACTIFUSE SHAPE both fill that space. They are the same material. The difference is how you place each one.
Costs depend on the defect size and what your University Hospitals Cleveland materials team already has on contract. A small FLOW syringe often costs less than a large SHAPE block because you use less material. But the real cost is operating room time. If the graft does not flow into a deep hole, you spend extra minutes packing and repacking. Pick the form that matches the void. Ask materials for both forms if your fracture mix includes deep and shallow defects.
For a narrow, deep void, use ACTIFUSE FLOW. The syringe tip reaches the bottom and lets you backfill without leaving gaps. Do not use SHAPE in a narrow hole. It will not reach the bottom and you may overpack. For a wide, shallow defect, ACTIFUSE SHAPE molds to the cavity and holds its form while you close. If the void is deep and wide, fill the bottom with FLOW first, then cap it with SHAPE. Call Elite Surgical in Cleveland before your next case and ask for a quick product in-service.
Once you match the graft form to the void, you spend less time fighting the material. The defect is filled and stable. You can close with confidence. The graft stays where you put it and gives new bone a scaffold across the gap. Your fixation does the load bearing. You are not leaving a hole for soft tissue to fall into.
Other things people in University Hospitals Cleveland 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.
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.
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Elite Surgical handles fracture repair in University Hospitals Cleveland and the area around it.