Bryan bone block

The March 27 meeting of the Tissue Services' Medical Liaison Committee featured a presentation by Donald Bryan, MD, who designed and uses the Bryan bone block. Dr. Bryan, an orthopaedic surgeon from Ogden, Utah, has been transplanting his specially designed blocks for many years with positive outcomes. During his presentation, Dr. Bryan shared his clinical follow-ups of patients who have received the blocks.

The Northwest Tissue Services is developing production processes for, and will soon offer, Bryan bone blocks for spinal surgeries.

The Bryan bone block is cut from the diaphyseal portion of the femur and tibia. The femur and tibia are split longitudinally and the blocks are fashioned into an "arrowhead" shaped bone block with a rounded tip and machined serrations on two sides.

Northwest Tissue Services commissioned equipment for use in the production of the block to precise specifications. Bryan bone blocks will be available in 25 mm lengths, at 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 mm widths. The bone blocks will be individually packaged in peel packs for easy introduction onto the sterile field.

Unlike some of the bone products that are constructed from two mating bone sections, Bryan bone blocks will have the structural integrity of a single piece of cortical bone. This graft can be inserted into the spine with standard surgical instrumentation and will be available at a processing fee considerably lower than many other tissue-derived spinal products currently offered by other tissue banks.

For more information about the Bryan bone block, call the Northwest Tissue Center at (206) 292-1879 or 800-858-2282.