Osteoinductivity of partially decalcified alloimplants in healing of large osteoperiosteal defects.

About 3.5 cm osteoperiosteal circumferential gaps in rabbit ulnae were bridged by partially decalcified (by 0.6 M HCl) allogenic implants, 8-12 weeks after implantation complete bridging of the gap by new bone formation and union at host-graft junctions was observed in 97.2 per cent of the experiments. Instant permeability and the powerful osteo-inductive potential of the implant coupled with some degree of mechanical stability provided by partial decalcification ensured successful bone formation in almost all the experiments. It is suggested that partially decalcified allogenic bone matrix preserved in 70 per cent ethanol may be a reasonably good substitute for autologous bone graft.