The biology of bone grafting.

Allograft bone continues to play an important role in revision hip and knee arthroplasty with well documented clinical success. A basic understanding of allograft biology and immunology is important in order to optimize outcome. The importance of the interaction of immunologic factors with the biologic processes involved in bone graft incorporation has yet to be fully understood. A better understanding may, in the future, enable an improvement in the quality and uniformity of clinical outcome.