Narrative review comparing five classes of osteoconductive bone graft substitutes used in orthopaedic trauma — coralline hydroxyapatite, collagen-based matrices, calcium phosphate cement, calcium sulfate, and tricalcium phosphate — on the basis of compressive strength, resorption rate, and available clinical evidence to guide product selection for specific fracture scenarios.
When selecting a bone graft substitute for a periarticular fracture, match material to mechanical demand: use calcium phosphate cement when you need structural support and earlier weight bearing (osteoporotic tibial plateau, calcaneus), reach for TCP or coralline hydroxyapatite blocks for noncontained defects, and reserve calcium sulfate for graft extension rather than load-bearing voids — it will resorb before the bone grows.
Narrative review comparing five classes of osteoconductive bone graft substitutes used in orthopaedic trauma — coralline hydroxyapatite, collagen-based matrices, calcium phosphate cement, calcium sulfate, and tricalcium phosphate — on the basis of compressive strength, resorption rate, and available clinical evidence to guide product selection for specific fracture scenarios.
When selecting a bone graft substitute for a periarticular fracture, match material to mechanical demand: use calcium phosphate cement when you need structural support and earlier weight bearing (osteoporotic tibial plateau, calcaneus), reach for TCP or coralline hydroxyapatite blocks for noncontained defects, and reserve calcium sulfate for graft extension rather than load-bearing voids — it will resorb before the bone grows.