Bacterin International Holdings, Inc. announced that the first clinical results using the OsteoSponge(R) product for foot and ankle arthrodesis. The article reports a multi-center, retrospective analysis of 80 joint fusions in 47 subjects who had undergone foot and ankle fusion procedures utilizing OsteoSponge bone graft. Overall, a fusion rate of 97.5% (78 of 80 joints) was determined by radiographic analysis.

The article, titled "A Retrospective Analysis Evaluating Allogeneic Cancellous Bone Sponge for Foot and Ankle Arthrodesis," reported comparable or greater foot and ankle fusion rates, as judged radiographically, to that reported in the biomedical literature. Additionally, at 12-month post-operative assessment, the authors observed statistically significant improvements in function and pain alleviation at rates greater than those previously reported in biomedical studies.