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Effect of gamma irradiation on mechanical properties of human cortical bone: influence of different processing methods

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Abstract

The secondary sterilisation by irradiation reduces the risk of infectious disease transmission with tissue allografts. Achieving sterility of bone tissue grafts compromises its biomechanical properties. There are several factors, including dose and temperature of irradiation, as well as processing conditions, that may influence mechanical properties of a bone graft. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of gamma irradiation with doses of 25 or 35 kGy, performed on dry ice or at ambient temperature, on mechanical properties of non-defatted or defatted compact bone grafts. Left and right femurs from six male cadaveric donors aged from 46 to 54 years, were transversely cut into slices of 10 mm height, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bone. Compact bone rings were assigned to the eight experimental groups according to the different processing method (defatted or non-defatted), as well as gamma irradiation dose (25 or 35 kGy) and temperature conditions of irradiation (ambient temperature or dry ice). Axial compression testing was performed with a material testing machine. Results obtained for elastic and plastic regions of stress–strain curves examined by univariate analysis are described. Based on multivariate analysis it was found that defatting of bone rings had no significant effect on any mechanical parameter studied, whereas irradiation with both doses decreased significantly the ultimate strain and its derivative toughness. The elastic limit and resilience were significantly increased by irradiation with the dose 25 kGy, but not 35 kGy, when the time of irradiation was longer. Additionally, irradiation at ambient temperature decreased maximum load, elastic limit, resilience, and ultimate stress. As strain in the elastic region was not affected, decreased elastic limit resulted in lower resilience. The opposite phenomenon was observed in the plastic region, where in spite of the lower ultimate stress, the toughness was increased due to the increase in the ultimate strain. The results of our study suggest that there may be an association between mechanical properties of bone tissue grafts and the damage process of collagen structure during gamma irradiation. This collagen damage in cortical bone allografts containing water does not depends on the temperature of irradiation or defatting during processing if dose of gamma irradiation does not exceed 35 kGy.

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Abbreviations

G:

Gamma

EB:

Electron beam

CT:

Computed tomography

AT:

Ambient temperature

DI:

Dry ice

DF:

Defatted

NDF:

Non-defatted

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by: IAEA Research Contract No: 16114/R0, Project CRP E3.10.06, Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education Grants: Nr 771/W-IAEA/2010/0, Nr 771/1/W-IAEA/10/2011/0 and Medical University of Warsaw Statute Grant 1M17/N/10.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Transplantology and Central Tissue Bank, Medical University of Warsaw, ul. Chalubinskiego 5, 02-004, Warsaw, Poland

    Artur Kaminski, Grzegorz Gut & Izabela Uhrynowska-Tyszkiewicz

  2. National Centre for Tissue and Cell Banking, Warsaw, Poland

    Artur Kaminski, Anna Jastrzebska, Ewelina Grazka, Joanna Marowska, Grzegorz Gut & Izabela Uhrynowska-Tyszkiewicz

  3. 1st Department of Clinical Radiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland

    Artur Wojciechowski

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  1. Artur Kaminski
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  2. Anna Jastrzebska
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  3. Ewelina Grazka
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Correspondence to Artur Kaminski.

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Kaminski, A., Jastrzebska, A., Grazka, E. et al. Effect of gamma irradiation on mechanical properties of human cortical bone: influence of different processing methods. Cell Tissue Bank 13, 363–374 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10561-012-9308-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10561-012-9308-2

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