Review on the clinical use of stem cells for the purpose of spinal fusion

What is it about?

For spinal fusion surgeries to be successful, new bone formation is often required. To guide the formation of new bone, clinicians often add a combination of a scaffold to provide physical support, and growth factors that promote the formation of new bone by cells. Recently, stem cells that can commit to becoming new bone cells are also being added. This review discusses the various approaches to adding stem cells to spinal fusion surgeries, and the degrees to which these approaches have been successful.

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Why is it important?

This is important because there is a lot of excitement surrounding stem cells, especially in the context of research laboratories. This review summarizes the current clinical application of stem cells in spinal fusion surgeries.