Abstract
Background: Femoral heads donated at primary arthroplasty are screened microbiologically. Contaminated femoral heads are either discarded or irradiated in an effort to protect recipients from the risk of transmitted infection.
Aims:
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Determine the contamination rate of donated femoral heads at primary arthroplasty within the Trent Region between July 1992 and July 2001.
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Does femoral head contamination result in an increased rate of early infection in the allograft donor?
Method: We reviewed the culture results of all femoral heads donated to the Leicester Bone Bank. All patients with a contaminated femoral head that were operated upon in the Leicestershire region were then compared to a control group of patients with no contamination of their femoral heads. The two groups of patients were then cross-referenced against the data in the Trent Arthroplasty Audit Group database. Hospital records of all patients who had a complication or re-operation were also reviewed to determine their outcome
Results: A contamination rate of 9% was present with 365 of 4043 femoral heads culturing positive at the time of retrieval. Coagulase negative Staphylococcus was isolated in 75% of the cases. At a minimum of one year follow up, there was no statistically significant difference in the complication or revision rate of age matched patients whose femoral heads cultured positive compared to those whose heads were sterile.
Conclusion: The allograft contamination rate is similar to other published series with coagulase negative staphylococcus being the most prevalent contaminant. The available evidence confirms what has been anecdotal in the past. Femoral head culture results play no role in determining future joint failure in the donor
Theses abstracts were prepared by Mr Peter Kay. Correspondence should be address to him at The Hip Centre, Wrightington Hospital, Appley Bridge, Wigan, Lancashire WN6 9EP.
