Written by: Dr. Sneha Dhanke | Published on: February 27, 2025
CERACELL® Foam vs. Traditional Bone Grafts: What Makes It Ideal for Spinal Surgery?
Advancing Spinal Surgery with CERACELL® Foam
Spinal fusion and orthopedic procedures require a reliable bone graft to support healing and structural stability. While autografts and allografts have traditionally been the standard, the combination of the right minerals with high-quality collagen – an essential factor in osteoblast growth and differentiation (Maehata & Hata, 2009) makes CERACELL® Foam a highly advantageous alternative.
Understanding Traditional Bone Graft Options
Autografts (Patient’s Bone)
Gold standard with osteogenic, osteoinductive, and osteoconductive properties
Harvested from the iliac crest, tibia, or ribs
Limitations: Limited supply, increased pain, infection risk (Sasso et al., 2005; Arrington et al., 1996)
Allografts (Donor Bone)
Processed cadaveric bone serving as a scaffold for bone growth
Available as demineralized bone matrices (DBMs) and structural grafts
Limitations: Lower osteogenic potential, immune response risk, disease transmission (Vaz et al., 2010)
Biosynthetic Bone Grafts
Designed for osteoconduction using materials like calcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite or bioactive glass.
Advantages: No donor site morbidity, unlimited supply, controlled resorption (Bohner, 2006; Damie n & Parsons, 1991)
Limitations: Unsuitable for patients with calcium metabolic disorders
Why CERACELL® Foam Stands Out
CERACELL® Foam is a biosynthetic bone regeneration material composed of bioactive, Sodium Magnesium silicated β-TCP embedded within a 3-dimensional collagen matrix, specifically designed to enhance bone regeneration in a cervical or lumbar spinal indication where filing and bridging degenerative or traumatic bone defects are required including posterolateral fusion and intervertebral implants.
Here’s how it compares to traditional grafts:
1. Maximum flexibility & versatile handling
- Mouldable Foam → mouldable, adapts to the defect
- Flexible Foam Strip → compressive strength & "shape memory"
2. Optimized structure for superior bone growth
- Highly porous, interconnected structure promotes cellular infiltration, avascularization, and osteogenesis
- Irregular polygonal granules minimize micro-movements, accelerating bone regeneration
Circular-shaped granules lack an interconnected structure, leading to increased micro-movement and slower regeneration.
CERACELL® Foam‘s interconnected structure reduces micro-movement, accelerating bone regeneration.
3. Bioactive properties for enhanced fusion
- Releases essential ions to create a bioactive environment
- Mimics natural hydroxyapatite formation, activating osteogenesis
4. No donor site morbidity
5. Controlled resorption and remodeling
- Matches natural bone turnover for seamless integration
- Prevents unpredictable graft resorption seen in some allografts (Rhee et al., 2007)
6. Consistent, sterile, and readily available
Clinical Applications of CERACELL® Foam in Spinal Surgery
Case Series: PLF Spinal Fusions with CERACELL® Foam (2023)
Author: Dr. Stephen Robbins, MD, Milwaukee, USA conducted a study on 13 patients (avg. age 64) undergoing posterolateral lumbar fusion (PLF) using CERACELL® Foam mixed with autograft and bone marrow aspirate (BMA).
Results:
- 100% fusion rate at 12 months
- New bone formation from 5 - 12 months
- Zero complications, demonstrating safety and efficacy
- Highlighted Case: 68-year-old patient with multi-level PLF showing progressive fusion at 3, 6, and 12 months
Conclusion: A Future-Ready Solution for Spinal Fusion
CERACELL® Foam represents a major advancement in bone graft technology, offering a clinically proven and biocompatible alternative to traditional grafts. Its high porosity, bioactive properties, and controlled resorption provide spine surgeons with a reliable and efficient solution for optimizing spinal fusion outcomes without the drawbacks of autografts or allografts.
For surgeons seeking a biosynthetic bone graft substitute with exceptional results, CERACELL® Foam is the ideal choice.