Bone growth agent leads to problems
July 1st, 2009 joshua
The bone growth agent BMP leads to complications and more surgeries when it’s used in unapproved neck surgeries.
A first-of-its-kind study on the bone growth product was conducted by the Harvard University-affililiated Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
BMP is typically used in spinal fusion surgeries and has enjoyed some success in that application. Buoyed by that success, surgeons decided to use the bone growth agent in neck surgeries.
The Food and Drug Administration received 38 reports of complications when BMP was used in neck surgeries in 2008.
The main complication when it was used near the neck was swelling. On the back it’s not much of an issue, but when the swelling occurs near the neck it complicates breathing and swallowing.












