Experimental and clinical investigations of human insoluble bone matrix gelatin. A report of 24 cases.

Human bone matrix gelatin (hBMG) was implanted into the quadriceps muscles of mice to determine its osteoinductive activity and immune responses. The host mouse muscle assay reacted positively to the hBMG, providing an experimental basis for clinical application. At two weeks after implantation, cartilage was produced in the mouse muscle, and new bone and bone marrow were formed at three to four weeks after implantation. Human bone matrix gelatin, which was thus shown to have osteoinductive activity, was subsequently implanted in 24 patients. Generally, the bone defects were filled with new bone tissue with increased density within two to four months after operation. Nonunion and delayed unions were healed at two to six months after surgery.