Pain lasting two years and longer is reported by up to 40% of all patients who use their own bone for the fusion site. The pain isn't usually debilitating. It doesn't keep the patients from their daily activities. But it is annoying and persistent.

Some studies even report patients with chronic pain up to 10 years later. About 20 percent of all patients are unhappy with how the donor site looks, too. Scar tissue, puckering, and even a sharp edge sticking out are reported.

When bone is removed the body tries to replace it. Often too much bone is formed to compensate for the loss. The body will slowly remodel any excess but it doesn't always do so in smooth, curved lines. Sharp bony edges are possible. The new bone may press on nearby soft tissues causing pain from the pressure.

We don't have an easy answer to this problem at the present time. Using a bone bank may become more popular with bone fusions of all kinds.