A NEW SET OF INSTRUMENTS FOR HARVESTING O F CANCELLOUS BONE FOR SMALLGRAFTS

A new set of instruments with a special saw, a guide and a punch has b een developed for harvesting of cancellous bone for small grafts. In a cadaver experiment use of the instruments was compared with the conve ntional open technique. Within half the operation time, nearly the sam e quantity of cancellous bone could be salvaged. In 29 clinical cases, bone defects resulting from 4 bone cysts, 6 enchondromas, 5 pseudarth roses and 5 fractures were closed with cancellous bone grafts harveste d by means of the new instruments. In the case of 9 bone tumors the pu nches were used to obtain biopsy specimens, and sufficient tissue for the exclusion of malignancy was obtained in all 9. With the new instru ments we are able to harvest cancellous bone for small grafts by a min imally invasive method.