Bacterial contamination rates during bone allograft retrieval

A retrospective study of allograft bone retrieved from 401 donors between J anuary 1987 and March 1996 was performed to determine the incidence of bact erial contamination. Contamination according to type of donor (live, multio rgan, cadaveric) was also determined. Live donors donating a femoral head d emonstrated a contamination rate of 13%; multiorgan donors, 24%; and cadave ric donors, 35%. Donor contamination by type of bone (hemipelvis, femur, ti bia) showed no significant difference in the multiorgan donors. In cadaveri c donors, there was a significant increase in contamination of the hemipelv es as compared to the femur and tibias. Recommendations for contamination c ontrol in allograft retrieval are given. Our findings are of great signific ance for musculoskeletal banks that do not secondarily irradiate and rely o n screening of allograft bone for contamination alone.