title: Improving the clinical evidence of bone graft substitute technology in lumbar spine surgery.
abstract: Bone graft substitutes have been used routinely for spine fusion for decades, yet clinical evidence establishing comparative data remains sparse. With recent scrutiny paid to the outcomes, complications, and costs associated with osteobiologics, a need to improve available data guiding efficacious use exists. We review the currently available clinical literature, studying the outcomes of various biologics in posterolateral lumbar spine fusion, and establish the need for a multicenter, independent osteobiologics registry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: Wellington K
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Nickoli
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, UCLA Comprehensive Spine Center, Santa Monica, California.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: University of Connecticut Medical Center, Farmington, Connecticut.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lieberman
authors.affiliation: Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: An
authors.affiliation: Emory Spine Center, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Durango Orthopedic Associates, PC/Spine Colorado.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Youssef
authors.affiliation: University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Brodke
authors.affiliation: Resources for Medical Education and Collaboration, Durango, Colorado.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: McCullough
keywords: autograft; biologics; bone graft substitute; bone morphogenetic protein; ceramics; demineralized bone matrix; osteobiologics; spine fusion