Behavior of differently sterilized allogenic lyophilized cartilage implants in dogs

The behavior of beta-propriolactone-sterilized, radiation-sterilized, and gas-sterilized lyophilized cartilage implants was histiologically investigated at various intervals up to 328 days. Beta-propriolactone-sterilized lyophilized cartilage implants were completely resorbed after 230 days and had only undergone partial osseous substitution. The radiation-sterilized lyophilized cartilage implants behaved similarly after 125 days. Despite partial resorption of the gas-sterilized lyophilized cartilage after 328 days, constant form was maintained and complete bony substitution of the resorbed regions had occurred in each case.