The Effects of Prolonged Cryopreservation on the Biomechanical Properties of Bone Allografts: A Microbiological, Histological and Mechanical Study

Bone allografting is the most common form of allotransplantation in modern medicine. Bone banking is usually the major part of most tissue banks throughout the world. Several years ago, many standards of bone banking were set empirically, and have never been evaluated. One particular parameter or standard was outdating graft materials after 5 years of storage. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of prolonged cryopreservation on the biomechanical properties of bone allografts and establish whether graft materials become contaminated during long-term storage.