Spinal-fusion surgery agent linked to complications

A new American study has found that bone-morphogenetic protein (BMP), which is used in 25 per cent of spinal fusion procedures there, is associated with a higher rate of complications than in fusions that did not use BMP. BMPs promote bone creation and remodelling and clinical use of recombinant BMP protein was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2002 for surgery of the anterior lumbar spine to promote bone fusion. {openx:269} Against that background, US surgeons examined the national trends in the adaptation of BMP into clinical practice since 2002 and the association between BMP use and…