FREEZE-DRIED CORTICAL ALLOGRAFT IN POSTERIOR SPINAL ARTHRODESIS - USEWITH SEGMENTAL INSTRUMENTATION FOR IDIOPATHIC ADOLESCENT SCOLIOSIS

Many surgeons use cancellous or corticocancellous allogeneic bone graf ts to augment spinal arthrodeses. The efficacy of onlay freeze-dried c ortical allografts for posterior spinal fusions has been questioned in the past. In this report, freeze-dried, crushed cortical bone allogra ft was used as the sole fusion material in 32 consecutive posterior sp inal fusions for idiopathic adolescent scoliosis. Absence of clinical or radiographic pseudarthrosis in all patients at an average follow up of 34 months suggests that freeze-dried, crushed cortical bone allogr aft is a suitable material for augmentation of the fusion mass during posterior spinal fusion with segmental instrumentation.