Critical bone defects, non-unions, and delayed bone healing remain major challenges in orthopedic and trauma surgery and often require bone grafting. While a patient's own bone (autograft) is considered the gold standard, its use is limited by donor-site morbidity and limited availability. Synthetic bone substitutes offer an alternative but mainly provide structural support and lack biological activity.
This prospective multicenter pilot study evaluates the safety and feasibility of using the Boneflo® Tissue Collector System to biologically activate bone substitutes during surgery. The device collects the patient's own tissue, blood, and biologically active factors directly from the surgical site using a vacuum-assisted suction system with an integrated filter. This material is then used intraoperatively to coat and bioactivate bone substitute materials.
In healing attempts, 50 patients with critical bone defects, non-unions, or impaired bone healing were treated across four centers. Various bone substitutes, including synthetic calcium phosphate materials, collagen-based scaffolds, and allografts, were used.
The primary aim of the study was to evaluate device safety, intraoperative usability, handling, and applicability for coating and activating bone substitutes. The device was evaluated by orthopedic surgeons and other medical professionals, including nurses, physician assistants, and technical assistants.
Furthermore, these data were supplemented with clinical outcome data from healing attempts, including wound healing and radiographic bone regeneration, assessed over a minimum six-month follow-up period.