The surgical resection of benign bone tumors in children results in cavitary bone defects, which often are treated with a graft. Autologous cancellous bone has been considered the gold standard graft for this condition at the expense of significant morbidity. Allogenic bone grafts are most commonly used, with the downsides of antigenicity and limitations in supply. Synthetic bone graft substitutes have evolved in response to the downsides of autograft and allograft, also with their risks and benefits. This study consolidates the recent literature regarding the use of bone grafts for the treatment of surgically created, nonstructural, cavitary bone defects in children. Many studies describing various bone graft options alone, in combination, and in comparison to each other have been published.No single option has been demonstrated to be superior, and some studies indicate that no graft at all may be as effective as current graft options. High volume, prospective, randomized clinical trials in the treatment of bone tumors comparing graft options with each other and to no grafting at all are necessary to properly delineate the real indications for bone grafting and to demonstrate its efficacy.
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