Allogenic decalbone in the repair of benign cystic lesions of bone.

Forty-six cases of benign cystic lesions of bone were treated by curettage and compact filling using partially decalcified allogenic bone graft (Decalbone); of these, 35 were available for study. Decalbone was prepared by partial decalcification with 0.6 N hydrochloric acid (HCl) of human bones generally obtained from freshly amputated limbs. The commonest lesions of bone were giant cell tumours (14) and aneurysmal bone cysts (15), and the commonest bones involved were the femur (23) and the tibia (12). There was one failure and four recurrences. Five cases were infected but this did not interfere with healing of the primary lesion. Radiological incorporation of the graft was seen at about 3 months in unicameral bone cysts, at 4-6 months in aneurysmal bone cysts and at 6-9 months in giant cell tumours. There was no recurrence in any case of giant cell tumour, but three aneurysmal bone cysts recurred. There was no clinical immune reaction.