Audit of the Douglas Hocking Research Institute bone bank: ten years of non-irradiated bone graft.
BACKGROUND
An audit performed in the use of non-irradiated femoral head bone graft at the Geelong Hospital over a 10-year period. While it is thought the non-irradiated bone graft provides a better structural construct there is theoretical increased risk of infection transmission.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective review of prospectively collected data in the use of non-irradiated bone allograft used from the Geelong Hospital Douglas Hocking Research Institute bone bank over a 10-year period. The review was performed using data collected from the bone bank and correlating it with the patient's medical record. All complications, including infections, related to the use of the allograft were recorded.


RESULTS
We found that over the 10 years to 2004 that 811 femoral heads were donated, with 555 being used over 362 procedures in 316 patients. We identified a total of nine deep infections, of which seven were in joint replacements. Overall this was a 2.5% deep infection rate, which was lowered to 1.4% if the previously infected joints that were operated on were excluded.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of non-irradiated femoral head bone graft was safe in a regional setting.
Love
David
D
Department of Orthopaedics, Geelong Hospital, Geelong, Victoria, Australia. davidlove1@ozemail.com.au
Pritchard
Michael
M
Burgess
Tanya
T
Van Der Meer
Gavin
G
Page
Richard
R
Williams
Simon
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D018586:Bone Banks / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016025:Bone Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000528:radiation effects; D005270:Femur Head / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D007595:Joint Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008485:Medical Audit; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013242:Sterilization; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous; D014739:Victoria