The regenerative capacity of decalcified allogenic matrix was compared with that of autologous bone graft for treatment of osteoperiosteal defects, 4-5 cm in length, experimentally induced in the sheep femoral diaphysis. Eighteen skeletally mature sheep were used in this investigation. In 8 animals, the reconstruction of thediaphyseal defect was performed using small fragments of decalcified allogenic bone matrix. In other 6 animals, the defect was refilled with corticoespongious autologousbone graft in chips. Bone stabilization was achieved by means of an external fixator. After radiologic and histologic assessments, the results were compared with a control group including 4 animals with the same diaphyseal defect but without any attempt of reconstruction. Autologous bone graft was found to be more efficient than decalcified allogenic bone matrix for treatment of large segmental bone defects. An osteogenic activity leading to the complete repair and consolidation of the defect was only detected in 1 of the animals treated with allogenic bone matrix. On the contrary, no failures in the incorporation and consolidation of grafts were observed in those animals treated with autologous bone chips.

The regenerative capacity of decalcified allogenic matrix was compared with that of autologous bone graft for treatment of osteoperiosteal defects, 4-5 cm in length, experimentally induced in the sheep femoral diaphysis. Eighteen skeletally mature sheep were used in this investigation. In 8 animals, the reconstruction of thediaphyseal defect was performed using small fragments of decalcified allogenic bone matrix. In other 6 animals, the defect was refilled with corticoespongious autologousbone graft in chips. Bone stabilization was achieved by means of an external fixator. After radiologic and histologic assessments, the results were compared with a control group including 4 animals with the same diaphyseal defect but without any attempt of reconstruction. Autologous bone graft was found to be more efficient than decalcified allogenic bone matrix for treatment of large segmental bone defects. An osteogenic activity leading to the complete repair and consolidation of the defect was only detected in 1 of the animals treated with allogenic bone matrix. On the contrary, no failures in the incorporation and consolidation of grafts were observed in those animals treated with autologous bone chips.