[Initial clinical results with heat-treated homologous bone transplants]

Several ways for HIV inactivation in bone allografts are being discussed. These methods must be efficient, but they must not compromise biologic properties of the allografts. According to animal studies, moderate heat treatment of bone allografts in a 65 degrees C waterbath has no adverse effects on osseointegration. A clinical follow-up study of 49 patients with heat treated bone allografts was conducted. 37 patients with conventional cryopreserved allografts were included in the study as controls. Average follow-up time was 27 months. Results were evaluated by clinical and X-ray examination, using a modified radiologic score. No significant differences in the two groups were detected, except for a slight retardation in bony integration of the heat treated allografts between week 39 and 52 postoperatively. Complication rates were 11.4% vs. 10.7%. In conclusion, moderate heat treatment of bone allografts appears to be a practicable and safe method to improve safety in bone transplantation in clinical practice. In addition to the known guide lines for bone banking heat treating of allografts should be further improved in order to minimize the low remaining risk of infection which exists despite of the three months test.