Chlorhexidine gluconate cleansing has no effect on the structural properties of human patellar tendon allografts.
OBJECTIVE
If an anterior cruciate ligament graft somehow becomes contaminated intraoperatively, soaking it in 4% chlorhexidine gluconate has been shown to be the most popular and efficacious method for sterilization before implantation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a chlorhexidine soak on the structural properties of human patellar tendon allografts.


METHODS
Sixteen human patellar tendon allografts were randomly split into 2 groups of 8. Grafts in 1 group were soaked in 4% chlorhexidine gluconate for 30 minutes, and the other grafts were kept moist in normal saline-soaked gauze. Data on preload width, preload thickness, elongation, ultimate tensile load, and stiffness were obtained through measurement and mechanical testing of the grafts.


RESULTS
Graft donor ages ranged from 29 to 43 years. There was no difference in the mean values of graft dimensions of the chlorhexidine-exposed group versus the normal saline-exposed group before mechanical testing (width of 9.48 mm v 9.56 mm, P = .89; thickness of 4.01 mm v 4.57 mm, P = .34). Graft elongation was not statistically different between the groups (2.52 mm v 1.43 mm, P = .27). No statistically significant difference was noted between the ultimate tensile load (2,219 N v 1,878 N, P = .36) or stiffness (274.3 N/mm v 297.0 N/mm, P = .63) of the grafts in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Structural properties of human patellar tendon allografts are not significantly affected by soaking in 4% chlorhexidine gluconate for 30 minutes.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgeons wishing to treat an inadvertently contaminated graft intraoperatively with 4% chlorhexidine may do so without concern that such treatment will impact graft strength.
Department of Orthopaedics, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York 14226, USA. adsobel@buffalo.edu
Andrew D
AD
Sobel
Donald
D
Hohman
Joshua
J
Jones
Leslie J
LJ
Bisson
D000328:Adult; D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002710:Chlorhexidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004203:Disinfection / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D017847:Patellar Ligament / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000637:transplantation; D011897:Random Allocation; D013709:Tendon Transfer; D013718:Tensile Strength / Q000187:drug effects; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
D000891:Anti-Infective Agents, Local; C010882:chlorhexidine gluconate; D002710:Chlorhexidine