Time-dependent changes in dynamic mechanical properties of irradiated bone.

The increased use of allograft tissue for musculoskeletal repair has brought more focus to the safety of allogenic tissue and the efficacy of various sterilization techniques. The currently available literature contains few examples of studies on long-lasting strains of bones but no example for irradiated bones. In this study the bovine femurs from a 2-year-old animal were machine cut and irradiated with the doses of 10, 15, 25, 35, 45 and 50 kGy.

Radiation sterilized bone response to dynamic loading.

Allogeneic bone grafts are used on a large scale in surgeries. To avoid the risk of infectious diseases, allografts should be radiation-sterilized. So far, no international consensus has been achieved regarding the optimal radiation dose.