Role of Bone Marrow Aspirate in Orthopedic Trauma

Bone marrow aspirate grafting entails mesenchymal stem cell-containing bone marrow harvesting and injection into a fracture site to promote bone formation. Although the use of bone marrow aspirate in orthopedic trauma is not widespread, an increasing number of studies are reporting clinical success. Advantages of using bone marrow aspirate are that it is readily obtainable, has low harvest morbidity, and can be easily and quickly injected. However, no universally accepted role for its use exists. Future studies directly comparing bone marrow aspirate with conventional techniques are needed to define its role in the treatment of orthopedic trauma patients.