High-Speed Centrifugation Efficiently Removes Immunogenic Elements in Osteochondral Allografts

Area of Science:

• Orthopedics
• Transplantation immunology
• Biomaterials science

Background:

• Current clinical pulse lavage is insufficient for removing immunogenic elements from osteochondral allografts (OCAs).
• Subchondral bone marrow contains immunogenic elements that can compromise graft success.
• Effective removal of these elements is crucial for successful allograft transplantation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the optimal method for removing immunogenic elements from OCAs.
• To compare the efficacy of various physical removal techniques.
• To evaluate the impact of these techniques on graft integrity.

Main Methods:

• Porcine femoral condyle OCAs were subjected to seven treatments: control, saline, ultrasound, vortex vibration (VV), low-pulse lavage (LPL), high-pulse lavage (HPL), and high-speed centrifugation (HSC).
• Evaluations included weight, micro-CT, macroscopic, histological, DNA quantification, and chondrocyte activity.
• Subchondral bone marrow and nucleated cell content were assessed.

Main Results:

• LPL, HPL, and HSC significantly reduced marrow elements compared to control, saline, ultrasound, and VV.
• HSC was superior to LPL and HPL in reducing marrow elements in deeper bone zones (p < 0.0001).
• HSC demonstrated significant reduction of blood, lipid, and marrow elements without damaging cartilage or subchondral bone, unlike LPL and HPL which may cause damage.

Conclusions:

• High-speed centrifugation (HSC) is a highly effective method for removing immunogenic marrow elements from OCAs.
• HSC preserves graft integrity, unlike pulse lavage techniques.
• HSC has the potential to significantly decrease OCA immunogenicity and improve transplantation outcomes.