A method for producing a cleaned bone graft with osteoinductivity above
2.0 suitable for transplantation into a human. The first step is
sonicating a bone graft in a nonionic detergent in an ultrasonic cleaner
at a temperature ranging from about 33.degree. C. to about 37.degree. C.
and for a time period ranging from 15 minutes to 2 hours effective to
produce a cleaned bone graft essentially free from bone marrow. The bone
graft is sonicated in purified water in an ultrasonic cleaner at a
temperature ranging from about 33.degree. C. to about 37.degree. C. a
plurality of times to remove the detergent producing a cleaned bone
graft. The bone graft is then sonicated in hydrogen peroxide in an
ultrasonic cleaner at a temperature ranging from about 33.degree. C. to
about 37.degree. C. for a time period ranging from 10 minutes to about 2
hours effective to retain osteoinductivity of the bone graft and again
sonicated in purified water in an ultrasonic cleaner at a temperature
ranging from about 33.degree. C. to about 37.degree. C. a plurality of
times to produce a cleaned bone graft. The final step is sonicating the
bone graft in an alcohol at a temperature ranging from 33.degree. C. to
37.degree. C. for 30 minutes to 2 hours, all of the steps being effective
to reduce any initially present viruses at least two logs and bacteria at
least ten logs and the bone graft is finally sonicated in purified water
to remove the alcohol.