Bone Grafting Surgery
What is Bone Grafting?
Bone grafting is a surgical procedure that uses transplanted bone to repair and rebuild diseased or damaged bones. A bone graft is a choice for repairing bones almost anywhere in your body.
Bone grafting, or transplanting of bone tissue, is beneficial in fixing bones that are damaged from trauma or problem joints. It’s also useful for growing bone around an implanted device, such as a total knee replacement where there is bone loss or a fracture. A bone graft may fill an area where bone is absent or help provide structural stability.
The bone used in a bone graft can come from your body or a donor, or it can be entirely synthetic. It can provide a framework where new, living bone can grow if it’s accepted by the body.
About Iranian Surgery
Iranian surgery is an online medical tourism platform where you can find the best orthopedic Surgeons in Iran. The price of a Bone Graft Surgery in Iran can vary according to each individual’s case and will be determined based on photos and an in-person assessment with the doctor. So if you are looking for the cost of Bone Grafting Surgery in Iran, you can contact us and get free consultation from Iranian surgery.
Before Bone Grafting Surgery
Why bone grafting is performed
Bone grafting is done for numerous reasons, including injury and disease. There are four main reasons bone grafts are used:
. A bone graft may be used in the case of multiple or complex fractures or those that don’t heal well after initial treatment.
. Fusion helps two bones heal together across a diseased joint. Fusion is most often done on the spine.
. Regeneration is used for bone lost to disease, infection, or injury. This can involve using small amounts of bone in bone cavities or large sections of bones.
. A graft can be used to help bone heal around surgically implanted devices, like joint replacements, plates, or screws.
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How do I prepare for bone grafting?
Talk with your healthcare provider about how to prepare for your bone graft surgery. Ask whether you should stop taking any medicines ahead of time, like blood thinners. If you are a smoker, try to stop smoking before your procedure to help speed healing. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including any over-the-counter medicines like aspirin. Also, tell your healthcare provider about any changes in your overall health, like a recent fever.
Before your procedure, you may need additional imaging tests, like X-rays, CT scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
You may need to make additional arrangements ahead of time, depending on the reason for your bone grafting. For example, if you won’t be able to put weight on your leg after your surgery, you may need to rearrange your living arrangements.
Do not eat or drink after midnight the night before your procedure.
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Risks
All surgical procedures involve risks of bleeding, infection, and reactions to anesthesia. Bone grafts carry these risks and others, including:
. Chronic pain
. Swelling
. Nerve injury
. Rejection of the bone graft
. Blood clot
. Inflammation
. Reabsorption of the graft
. Decreased mobility
. Cosmetic defects
Ask your doctor about these risks and what you can do to minimize them.
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During Bone Grafting Surgery
Types of bone grafts
The two most common types of bone grafts are:
. Allograft, which uses bone from a deceased donor or a cadaver that has been cleaned and stored in a tissue bank.
. Autograft, which comes from a bone inside your body, such as your ribs, hips, pelvis, or wrist.
The type of graft used depends on the type of injury your surgeon is repairing.
Allografts are commonly used in hip, knee, or long bone reconstruction. Long bones include arms and legs. The advantage is there’s no additional surgery needed to acquire the bone. It also lowers your risk of infection since additional incisions or surgery aren’t required.
Allograft bone transplant involves bone that has no living cells so that the risk of rejection is minimal as opposed to organ transplants, in which living cells are present. Since the transplanted bone doesn’t contain living marrow, there is no need to match blood types between the donor and the recipient.
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How a bone graft is performed
Your doctor will decide which type of bone graft to use before your surgery. You’ll be given general anesthesia, which will put you into a deep sleep. An anesthesiologist will monitor the anesthesia and your recovery.
Your surgeon will make an incision in the skin above where the graft is needed. They’ll then shape the donated bone to fit the area. The graft will be held in place using any of the following:
. Pins
. Plates
. Screws
. Wires
. Cables
Once the graft is securely in place, your surgeon will close the incision or wound with stitches and bandage the wound. A cast or splint may be used to support the bone while it heals. Many times, no casting or splint is necessary.
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After Bone Grafting Surgery
After bone grafting
Talk with your healthcare provider about what you can expect after your surgery. You may have some pain after your procedure, but pain medicines may help to relieve the pain. You should be able to resume a normal diet fairly quickly. You may get some imaging, like an X-ray, to make sure your surgery was successful. Depending on the extent of your injury and your other medical conditions, you might be able to go home the same day.
Your healthcare provider will give you detailed instructions about how you can move the area that received the bone graft. This usually involves keeping the area immobile for a while. This might require a splint or a brace. You’ll also probably need to avoid putting weight on the area. You may need physical therapy to restore strength and flexibility to your muscles.
You might need to take medicines to prevent blood clots (a “blood thinner”) for a little while after your surgery. Your healthcare provider might not want you to take certain over-the-counter medicines for pain, because some of these can interfere with bone healing. Your healthcare provider may advise you to eat a diet high in calcium and vitamin D as your bone heals. If you smoke, your healthcare provider may also advise you to stop smoking, because this may interfere with bone healing.
You might have some fluid draining from your incision. This is normal. But, let your healthcare provider know right away if the draining is severe. Also, let your healthcare provider know if your wound has increased redness or swelling, or if you have severe pain, loss of feeling, or a high fever or chills.
Make sure to keep all of your follow-up appointments. You may need to have your stitches or staples removed a week or so after your surgery. Your healthcare provider may want to perform a series of X-rays to see how well your bone heals. Follow all your healthcare provider’s instructions carefully to have the best chance at full recovery.