The mechanical stability of allografts after a cleaning process: comparison of two preparation modes

In revision hip arthroplasty, bone loss can be compensated by impacting allograft material. Cleaning processes reduce the risk of bacterial and viral contamination. Cleaned allograft material was compared to native untreated allografts by using a uniaxial compression test. 30 measurements were performed for each group before and after compaction. Grain size distribution and weight loss were determined. A reduction in the amount of large bone fragments and a higher compaction rate were observed in the cleaned bone grafts. The cleaned bone chips presented with a better mechanical resistance to a compression force and a reduced flowability. The benefit of a cleaner and a mechanical stable graft material comes with the drawback that higher initial amounts of graft material are needed.