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J Knee Surg 2009; 22(3): 191-195
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1247748
Original Article

© 2009 Thieme Medical Publishers

Incidence of Positive Intraoperative Allograft Cultures Used in Knee Ligament Reconstruction

Chanakarn Phornphutkul1 , Brian F. Gruber2 , Edward M. Wojtys2
  • 1The Sports Medicine Unit, Department of Orthopaedics, Chiangmai University, Chiangmai, Thailand
  • 2MedSport, Section of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Mich
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Publication History

Publication Date:
14 January 2010 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Soft-tissue allografts are valuable options in knee ligament reconstructive surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine the risk of soft-tissue contamination before implantation and the occurrence of infection after implantation in patients who received soft-tissue allografts for knee reconstructive procedures.

A retrospective review of medical records was performed for patients who had undergone knee ligament surgery with allograft tissues at one institution between 1993 and 2004. Cultures were positive in 6 (5.7%) of 105 cases. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the most common organism. None of these patients developed postoperative infections. The culture-positive group had a longer period of joint effusion postoperatively, compared with the culture-negative group (14.2 weeks versus 9.6 weeks). Patients with positive cultures required no additional treatment other than close observation.