Bacterial contamination rates during bone allograft retrieval

A retrospective study of allograft bone retrieved from 401 donors between January 1987 and March 1996 was performed to determine the incidence of bacterial contamination. Contamination according to type of donor (live, multiorgan, cadaveric) was also determined. Live donors donating a femoral head demonstrated a contamination rate of 13%; multiorgan donors, 24%; and cadaveric donors, 35%. Donor contamination by type of bone (hemipelvis, femur, tibia) showed no significant difference in the multiorgan donors. In cadaveric donors, there was a significant increase in contamination of the hemipelves as compared to the femur and tibias. Recommendations for contamination control in allograft retrieval are given. Our findings are of great significance for musculoskeletal banks that do not secondarily irradiate and rely on screening of allograft bone for contamination alone.