A Missed Opportunity in Spine Cases: Supporting the Biologic–Autograft Workflow

Did you know that many spine and orthopedic surgeons who use biologics also incorporate locally available autologous bone during procedures?

Across spine and orthopedic practice, a commonly observed approach is the use of biologics in combination with autologous bone collected intraoperatively.

An important point that may not be widely recognized outside the operating room:

This workflow is already part of routine surgical practice.

In many procedures:

• Local bone may be collected during decompression or preparation

• Surgeons may combine it with biologic materials based on clinical judgment and preference

• A graft mixture is prepared according to the surgeon’s technique

• Available collection and handling tools are used as provided by the facility

For distributors and industry professionals, this perspective may be helpful when considering how products fit into existing workflows.

The discussion is often not “biologics vs. autograft,” but how different components are used together within a procedure.

Surgeon preferences vary and may be influenced by multiple factors, including:

• Handling characteristics

• Availability of local bone

• Clinical objectives and patient-specific considerations

• Familiarity with existing techniques

When evaluating solutions at the procedure level, rather than focusing on a single product category, a different question may emerge:

“How can available tools support the surgeon’s established workflow?”

This is where differentiation may occur—through alignment with real-world surgical practice and integration into existing techniques.