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First published on May 30, 2006, doi:10.1177/0363546506288851
This version was published on November 1, 2006
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The American Journal of Sports Medicine 34:1747-1755 (2006)
© 2006 American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine

The Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Anterior Cruciate Ligament Allograft Biomechanical and Biochemical Properties in the Caprine Model at Time Zero and at 6 Months After Surgery

Herbert E. Schwartz, PhD*,{dagger}, Matthew J. Matava, MD§,||,{ddagger}, Frank S. Proch*, Charles A. Butler§,¶, Anthony Ratcliffe, PhD#, Martin Levy, PhD* and David L. Butler, PhD*

From the * Noyes Tissue Engineering and Biomechanics Laboratories, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, {dagger} Schwartz Biomedical LLC, Fort Wayne, Indiana, § Cincinnati Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center, Deaconess Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, || Washington University Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, St Louis, Missouri, North Florida Sportsmedicine & Orthopaedic Center, Tallahassee, Florida, and # Synthasome Inc, San Diego, California

{ddagger} Address correspondence to Matthew J. Matava, MD, Suite 11300 West Pavilion, One Barnes-Jewish Hospital Drive, St Louis, MO 63110 (e-mail: matavam{at}wudosis.wustl.edu).

Background: High levels of gamma irradiation are required to eliminate the risk of bacterial and viral transmission during implantation of musculoskeletal allografts. The effects of high levels of gamma irradiation on anterior cruciate ligament allograft biomechanics are still not known.

Hypothesis: High-dose gamma irradiation (4 Mrad) adversely affects anterior cruciate ligament allograft biomechanics at surgery and at 6 months after surgery and affects biochemistry at 6 months.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Methods: Bilateral anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions were performed in 18 adult goats, with one knee receiving an irradiated patellar tendon allograft (4 Mrad) and the other receiving a frozen control allograft (0 Mrad). In 6 recipients (time zero group), graft pairs were tested immediately after sacrifice, and load relaxation of the femur-allograft-tibia preparation was measured during cyclic anterior displacement. Twelve recipients received bilateral anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions, staged 2 months apart, and were sacrificed a mean of 6 months postoperatively. Load relaxation and tensile failure testing were performed, followed by allograft biochemistry assessment.

Results: At time zero, irradiated grafts showed less load relaxation than did contralateral controls, but by 6 months, the trend had reversed because of decreases in control graft relaxation, with no changes in irradiated graft relaxation. By 6 months, irradiated grafts showed lower stiffness and maximum force compared to controls but no differences in modulus, maximum stress, or biochemistry.

Conclusion: High levels of gamma irradiation affect anterior cruciate ligament allograft subfailure viscoelastic and structural properties but not material or biochemical properties over time.

Clinical Relevance: Although high levels of gamma irradiation may inactivate infectious agents, this treatment is not a feasible clinical option because of altered allograft biomechanics.

Key Words: anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) • allograft • biomechanics • gamma irradiation




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