Thanks to technological advances, refined surgical techniques and an increasing level of awareness among potential donors, nearly 1.5 million lives are now saved or restored in the US each year through the transplantation of bone, soft tissue, skin and joint allografts. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates the incidence of allograft-related infection to be .0004% per ~900,000 allografts. The odds of acquiring a disease from an allograft are estimated to be less than one in 1.6 million.
To a large degree, surgeons who select appropriate candidates for surgery and operate with precision can take credit for the high percentage of successful outcomes. To maximize positive outcomes and minimize risk, discerning surgical teams must look beyond industry accreditation to the safety records, processing procedures, efficacy data and service capabilities of their allograft suppliers. Just as there are several techniques for repairing an injured knee, there is no one, single, accepted procedure for processing allografts.
