BONE AUTOGRAFTS AND ALLOGRAFTS IN DOGS

Bone graft can be used to facilitate healing in orthopedic repairs. In addition to autogenous bone, allogeneic bone is available in many for ms in unlimited quantity. Allograft material can be transported and st ored and has a shelf-life of 6 months to 5 years. although biologicall y inferior to autogenous bone, allografts are osteoconductive and oste oinductive and may provide structural support. Types of allogeneic bon e include cancellous bone chips, cancellous bone blocks and wedges, de mineralized bone powder, cortical segments and sections, and bone-liga ment/tendon grafts. Allograft can be used alone, but additional osteog enesis is provided when allograft bone is used in combination with aut ogenous bone. Establishing an allograft bone bank is impractical for m ost veterinary clinics; however, bone allograft has recently become co mmercially available to veterinarians.