Results of onlay allografts

Cortical onlay strut allografts provide a method for bone restoration when performing revision surgery in a patient with a structurally deficient femur. Between 1986 and 1990, 251 patients underwent femoral revisions using structural onlay bone grafts. The followup ranged between 8 and 12 years, with the average followup being 9.5 years. All of the grafts united to the host bone. The revision rate in the current series is 3%, with no complications related to the bone graft. The average Harris hip score improved 45 points. Cortical onlay grafts are used for patients with structurally deficient femurs. After union occurs, the graft undergoes adaptive remodeling, secondary to physiologic load bearing. This technique has proved to be a reliable method for bone restoration in the patient with a structurally compromised femur.