Medical Student Research Forum Posters

ACDF is used to treat a variety of cervical pathologies (degenerative disease, myelopathy, etc.) Post-operative pseudarthrosis, nonunion, is defined as a failure of fusion between cervical levels. Pseudarthrosis is a leading cause of pain postoperatively resulting in 45%-56% of revision surgeries. The “gold standard” graft for ACDFs is an autograft from the patients iliac crest. Autografts lead to a higher level of fusion rates, however, can cause a number of donor site morbidities. To reduce these morbidities, allografts are frequently used as an alternative. • Allografts usually are freeze-dried or fresh-frozen. Freeze-dried allografts have gone through more processing which leads to a more sterile option, but can lead to a weaker bone graft. Fresh-frozen allografts go through less processing, leading to preserved structural integrity but increased chances on immune response.