Abstract: The invention is directed to an apparatus for producing demineralized osteoinductive bone. The apparatus demineralizes bone by subjecting bone, including, for example, ground bone, bone cubes, chips, strips, or essentially intact bone, to either a rapid high volume pulsatile acidification wave process or to a rapid continuous acid demineralization process. The pulsatile acidification wave process includes subjecting bone to two or more rapid pulse/drain cycles in which one or more demineralizing acids is rapidly pulsed into a vessel containing bone, and after a desired period of time, is rapidly drained from the vessel. The continuous acid demineralization process includes subjecting bone to a continuous exchange of demineralizing acid solution in which the demineralizing acid solution is recirculated from the container holding the bone through an ion exchange media.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plasticized dehydrated or freeze-dried bone and/or soft tissue product that does not require special conditions of storage, for example refrigeration or freezing, exhibits materials properties that approximate those properties present in normal hydrated tissue, is not brittle, does not necessitate rehydration prior to clinical implantation and is not a potential source for disease transmission. The invention replaces water in the molecular structure of the bone or soft tissue matrix with one or more plasticizers allowing for dehydration of the tissue, yet not resulting in an increase in brittleness of the plasticized product, and resulting in compressive and/or tensile properties similar to those of normal hydrated bone. Replacement of the chemical plasticizers by water prior to implantation is not required and thus, the dehydrated bone or soft tissue plasticized product can be placed directly into an implant site without significant preparation in the operating room.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a composite bone graft for implantation in a patient, and methods of making and using the composite bone graft, along with methods for treating patients by implanting the composite bone graft at a site in a patient.