FLEXURAL RIGIDITY IN PARTIALLY DEMINERALIZED DIAPHYSEAL BONE-GRAFTS

Control of biomechanical properties of demineralized diaphyseal bone a llografts is required for their clinical application, Therefore, the c hanges in flexural rigidity in human fibulae were investigated as a fu nction of the demineralization depth using a nondestructive bending te st, Starting at the facies medialis, the flexural rigidity was determi ned in 24 planes at 15 degrees sequential angular increments, which al lowed data collection around the circumference of the bone, Test bones included 4 pairs of left and right human fibulae and 15 single fibula e, The elliptical distribution of the flexural rigidity of left and ri ght fibulae and single fibulae before and after demineralization was c ompared, The stiffness index and the area ratio were defined as parame ters to describe the mechanical status of the test bones, Results show that the rigidity of diaphyseal bones is strongly dependent on the re duction of their cortical thickness by demineralization, A mathematica l model allowing prediction of the reduction of the rigidity of diaphy seal bone grafts as a function of the demineralization depth is presen ted.