Bone block assemblies and their use in assembled bone-tendon-bone grafts

The present invention has multiple aspects. In its simplest aspect, the present invention is directed to an intermediate bone block comprising a machined segment of cortical bone, cancellous bone or both, the intermediate having a face comprising one to ten compression surfaces and one to ten cavities, the compression surfaces suitable for compressing soft tissue, the cavities for receiving and holding overflow soft tissue. The cavities are preferably channels, and more preferably channels having an omega cross-sectional profile. Surprisingly, the cavities and channels, which reduced the compressed surface area between the intermediate bone block and the tendon, significantly improved tendon load at failure. In standardized tests, an intermediate bone block of this invention, when combined with high surface area bone blocks of the prior art bone blocks, unexpectedly increased their load at failure. The invention is also directed to bone block assemblies suitable for binding to a soft tissue to form an implantable graft, and to such implantable grafts. A particularly preferred graft is a bone-tendon-bone graft.