A Microbiological and Ultrastructural Comparison of Aseptic versus Sterile Acellular Dermal Matrix as a Reconstructive Material and a Scaffold for Stem Cell Ingrowth.

Background: Recent data suggest an increased risk for infection when acellular dermal matrix is used in breast reconstruction. This may be because some acellular dermal matrices are actually not terminally sterilized but are instead "aseptically processed." This study evaluates aseptic and sterile matrices for evidence of bacterial contamination and whether or not terminal sterilization affects matrix collagen architecture and stem cell ingrowth.