Influence of thermodisinfection on the mechanical properties of individual human trabeculae from femoral heads.

Allogeneic bone grafts are frequently used in reconstructive orthopaedics and trauma surgery and require appropriate processing to ensure biological safety. Thermodisinfection represents an established procedure; however, its influence on the mechanical properties of individual trabeculae has not yet been sufficiently investigated. Single trabeculae were prepared from human femoral heads and assigned within a paired study design to either native or thermodisinfected conditions. Mechanical characterisation was performed using a two-point bending test. The elastic modulus (E) was determined from the linear region of the force-displacement curve, and the maximum fracture force ( F max ) was recorded as a measure of load-bearing capacity until structural failure. Furthermore, the influence of anatomical location within the femoral head was analysed. No significant difference in elastic modulus was found between native and thermodisinfected trabeculae. The maximum fracture force was significantly increased in the thermodisinfected group. No consistent differences were observed for either parameter with respect to anatomical location within the femoral head. Thermodisinfection did not significantly impair the elastic properties of individual human trabeculae but significantly affected failure-related behaviour. No consistent influence of anatomical location was observed. These findings indicate that thermodisinfection largely preserves the intrinsic mechanical properties of individual trabeculae while also influencing failure-related behaviour. They complement previous predominantly macroscopic investigations by providing a microstructural perspective on the biomechanical effects of thermodisinfection. Furthermore, the present findings may provide a biomechanical rationale for future bone graft processing strategies involving smaller bone fragments or granule-based graft preparation, although the clinical feasibility of such applications requires further investigation.