Assessing Safety of Cervical Spine Fusion With NMP® Graft Material: A Retrospective Chart Review

Interbody fusion is a cornerstone of spinal reconstruction, involving placement of a bone graft within the intervertebral space to achieve fusion between adjacent vertebrae. Autogenous bone graft (ABG), typically harvested from the iliac crest, is considered the gold standard due to its osteogenic potential. However, ABG use is limited by donor site morbidity, infection risk, increased operative time, blood loss, and limited graft availability.

Alternative graft materials, such as recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) and demineralized bone matrix (DBM), have been developed to overcome ABG limitations. While rhBMP-2 is highly osteoinductive, off-label cervical use has been associated with severe complications. DBM offers an osteoconductive scaffold but shows variable clinical performance due to inconsistent BMP content.

Cervical spine fusion is a well-established procedure for cervical spine pathologies, but perioperative complications remain significant. Large population-based studies report overall complication rates of 13-14%, with pulmonary events, postoperative hematomas, and dysphagia among the most common. Advanced age and multiple comorbidities are strong predictors of adverse outcomes, with even a single complication prolonging hospitalization and increasing mortality risk.

Given the limitations of current grafts and the high complication rates of cervical spine fusion surgeries, there is a need to evaluate novel biologically active bone grafts. The NMP® bone graft is designed to promote bone formation and may improve safety and clinical outcomes in cervical fusion.

Accurate assessment of adverse events is critical; this study will use the validated SAVES-V2 system to standardize complication reporting, capture severity, and quantify the clinical and economic impact of cervical spine fusion surgery-related adverse events.