[Microbiology of femoral head grafts in bone banks]

The aim of the study was to describe the bacteriology of bone allografts, which were harvested for the bone bank at Hvidovr Hospital, and to evaluate any infections in the recipients, which may have been caused by microbiological contamination of the transplanted bone allografts. It was carried out as a retrospective examination of bone bank records and patient records allowing at least 12 months for possible manifestation of bacterial infection by the bone allograft. During donation of bone, both the capita femora and the acetabulum were cultured with swabs both an- and aerobically along with the already sterilized glass specimen jar used for storage. Of the 110 donated bone allografts, 10 were not used for transplantation, but only one allograft was discarded because of the development of a positive culture (Staphylococcus epidermidis). All cultures from the sterilized glass specimen jars were without microbiological growth. Three incidences of deep infection (one Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and two Staphylococcus aureus) followed the transplantation of 100 bone allografts in 58 patients at 62 operations. We conclude that the precautions (i.e. careful selection and screening of donor) and strict aseptic technique (including the use of perioperative administration of antibiotics) used, when bone allografts are harvested, ensure the procurement of non-contaminated bone in more than 99% of the donations. Culturing the already sterilized glass specimen jars seems unnecessary. The bone allograft per se was not contaminated and probably did not cause any infections. The rate of infection after transplantation of bone allograft is not higher than in other complicated surgery.