HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Hinton, R. Articles by Clarke, H. J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Hinton, R. Articles by Clarke, H. J.

A biomechanical analysis of solvent-dehydrated and freeze-dried human fascia lata allografts

A preliminary report

The Johns Hopkins Hospital and St. Agnes Hospital, Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, Baltimore, Maryland

Riyaz H. Jinnah, MD

The Johns Hopkins Hospital and St. Agnes Hospital, Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, Baltimore, Maryland

Carl Johnson, MD

The Johns Hopkins Hospital and St. Agnes Hospital, Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, Baltimore, Maryland

Karen Warden, ME

The Johns Hopkins Hospital and St. Agnes Hospital, Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, Baltimore, Maryland

Hugh J. Clarke, FRCS

The Johns Hopkins Hospital and St. Agnes Hospital, Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery, Baltimore, Maryland

This study compares the basic mechanical properties of two groups of commercially available fascia lata allografts processed by different means (solvent-dehy drated and sterilized via gamma radiation, and freeze- dried without secondary sterilization). The results reveal significantly (P < 0.05) higher stiffness, higher maxi mum load to failure, and higher maximum load per unit width of graft with the solvent-dried as opposed to the freeze-dried fascia lata. Subsections of individual sol vent-dried specimens were also more uniform in their mechanical properties than those of the freeze-dried allografts.

Clinical relevance: Fascia lata is used as a graft material in a variety of orthopaedic procedures. Allo graft fascia lata offers an increased cross-sectional area of material and eliminates the morbidity associated with the harvesting of autologous tissues. However, the structural uniformity of such large grafts has been questioned. Processing techniques used in the sterili zation and storage of such grafts is varied and repre sents a potential source of variation in the mechanical properties of allograft specimens. The results of this study suggest that a commercially available solvent- dehydrated form of fascia lata provides a more suitable grafting material than freeze-dried specimens obtained from tissue banks.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				O. Gorschewsky, A. Klakow, K. Riechert, M. Pitzl, and R. Becker Clinical Comparison of the Tutoplast Allograft and Autologous Patellar Tendon (Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone) for the Reconstruction of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament: 2- and 6-Year Results Am. J. Sports Med., August 1, 2005; 33(8): 1202 - 1209. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. J. Culligan, L. Blackwell, L. J. Goldsmith, C. A. Graham, A. Rogers, and M. H. Heit A Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Fascia Lata and Synthetic Mesh for Sacral Colpopexy Obstet. Gynecol., July 1, 2005; 106(1): 29 - 37. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]