Studies of Devitalized Bone Implants

Introduction While it is generally accepted that living autogenous bone is the most effective bone grafting material available,1-6the relative value of various substitutes remains controversial. Homogenous and heterogenous bone, ivory,7cow horn,7and inorganic salts such as calcium phosphate8-10and sulphate11have all been studied as well as bone modified in many ways including boiling,2,12,13,10freezing,2,8,14,15lyophilizing,15,16deproteinizing,17, 14,5and decalcifying.14,17-19F. J. Marchand as early as the 19th century stated: It is already sufficiently known that either fresh bone taken from living animals or bone killed in various ways can serve as a more or less complete substitute for and cause healing of a bone defect.20However, it still remains to be determined which of the various types of devitalized bone may serve best in facilitating healing of a skeletal defect. The following study was carried out