Synthetic bone graft materials in spine fusion: Current evidence and future trends

Historically, iliac crest bone autograft has been considered the gold standard bone graft substitute for spinal fusion. However, the significant morbidity associated with harvesting procedures has influenced decision-making and practice patterns. To minimize these side effects, many clinicians have pursued the use of bone graft extenders to minimize the amount of autograft required for fusion in certain applications. Synthetic materials, including a variety of ceramic compounds, are a class that has been studied extensively as bone graft extenders. These have been used in combination with a wide array of other biomaterials and investigated in a variety of different spine fusion procedures. This review will summarize the current evidence of different synthetic materials in various spinal fusion procedures and discuss the future of novel synthetics.