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Costal Cartilage Allograft Processing and User Patterns in Rhinoplasty
Milind Vasudev1, Lauren Liu2, Ashley Lonergan2
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
Facial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine
|July 17, 2026
Summary
Processing methods for costal cartilage allografts vary significantly among tissue banks. This heterogeneity in cartilage processing and surgeon preferences may impact rhinoplasty outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Plastic Surgery
- Biomaterials Science
- Tissue Engineering
Background:
- Specific allograft processing methods may contribute to high failure rates in cartilage transplantation.
- Understanding these methods is crucial for improving clinical outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize proprietary costal cartilage allograft processing techniques used by tissue banks.
- To assess surgeon preferences for graft sterilization methods in rhinoplasty.
Main Methods:
- Reviewed American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB)-certified cartilage providers.
- Analyzed patent databases, PubMed, and consulted research scientists.
- Conducted an international survey of rhinoplasty surgeons regarding allograft preferences.
Main Results:
- Identified 12 distinct processing protocols among 41 AATB-certified providers.
- Common sterilization methods included gamma irradiation (63.6%), peroxide-based detergents (36.4%), and alcohol-based detergents (36.4%).
- Surveyed surgeons favored fresh-frozen allografts but predominantly used autologous cartilage.
Conclusions:
- Significant heterogeneity exists in costal cartilage allograft processing and surgeon preferences.
- Variability in processing methods may correlate with differing clinical outcomes.
- Further research into allograft processing is needed to guide evidence-based graft selection.