Osteobiologics

Abstract

Osteobiologic adjuvants that aid in bone grafting have recently been popularized. Current osteobiologic technologies can be organized into 3 main categories: osteoconductive, osteogenic, and osteoinductive. Appropriate use of osteobiologic agents mimics autograft. Compared with autograft , synthetic adjuvants minimize donor morbidity. Understanding how synthetic agents can enhance bone formation and their appropriate use can aid the orthopedic surgeon in delivering optimal care in these difficult cases. The understanding of how synthetic grafts can enhance the normal bone healing cascade defines their role and use in treating fracture gaps.