Autograft (bone taken from one part of the body and placed in another site on the same individual) has long been considered the gold standard for lumbar spine fusion procedures. Unfortunately, there are complications involved with autograft harvest such as donor site morbidity, increased operating time, and limited supply. Therefore, the use of allograft (bone taken from one body and placed into another individual) as a graft extender has become an acceptable practice, especially in fusions of more than one level where larger quantities of graft material are needed.
In this study, comparisons will be made between patients who are randomized to having fusion with an allograft material (Optecure, Exactech, Inc.) mixed with an autograft to those patients who are randomized to having fusion with autograft alone.
