[The use of allogeneic bone and tendon tissue from a central bone bank]

During the period January 1989 to December 1990 the use of bone and related soft tissue allografts from our bone bank was reviewed retrospectively. Data were complete for 278 patients, who received 403 allografts in total. Forty-nine patients were transplanted with a massive deep frozen bone allograft, 41 patients received a deep frozen soft tissue allograft, while 313 units of freeze dried bone allografts were transplanted into 188 patients. Massive deep-frozen bone allografts were used mainly in patients with bone tumours, fibrous dysplasia of the neck of the femur and for revision arthroplasty. Soft tissues were used mainly for reconstruction of ruptured cruciate ligaments. Freeze dried bone allografts such as cancellous chips as well as cortical cancellous chips were used for spinal fusion, arthroplasty, treatment of pseudarthrosis, fractures, tumours and fibrous dysplasia, and in maxillofacial defects. Cancellous blocks were used specifically for spinal fusion. Demineralized cortical dust was used mainly in maxillofacial surgery.