Contaminated osteochondral plugs: effect of different sterilizing solutions: an experimental study in the rabbit

To determine the efficacy of different antiseptic solutions [Control group [I], Antibiotic solution [II], Chlorhexidine 0.4% [III], and povidone - iodine 10% [IV]] in sterilizing contaminated osteochondral plugs. Under sterile conditions, the femoral head and condyles of 20 rabbits were removed and cut into equal osteochondral pieces. A total of 200 osteochondral specimens were obtained. All 200 specimens were dropped on the operating room floor for fifteen seconds and assigned to one of four experimental groups. Group I samples were cultured after washing with normal saline solution [Control group]. In other three groups, prior to culturing process, samples were placed in an antibiotic solution after washing with normal saline [Neomycin and Polymyxin] [group II], Chlorhexidine 0.4% [group III], and povidone - iodine 10% [group IV], respectively. In group I, 25 of 50 specimens had positive cultures. Of 50 specimens of group II, III and IV, no positive cultures were found after 10 days. all three agents including antibiotic solution, povidone-iodine 10% and chlorhexidine 0.4% seem effective in sterilizing the contaminated osteochondral samples. According to the literature, povidone-iodine has no negative effect on the cartilage metabolism and seems to be a proper choice of decontaminating solution for osteochondral plugs.To the best of the authors' knowledge, such a study on the contaminated osteochondral specimen has not been previously reported in the literature

Effect of three different sanitizing solutions on the contaminated bone: an experimental study in the rabbit

To determine the efficacy of three different antiseptic solutions [Control group [I], Antibiotic solution - Neomycin and polymyxin [II], Chlorhexidine 0.4% [III], and povidone - iodine 10% [IV]] in disinfecting contaminated bone fragments. Under sterile conditions, the femora of 12 rabbits were removed and cut into six millimeter pieces. A total of 200 bone specimens were obtained. All 200 specimens were dropped on the operating room floor for fifteen seconds and assigned to one of four experimental groups. Group I samples were cultured after immersion in normal saline solution [Control group]. In other three groups, prior to culture the samples, they were washed with normal saline for ninety seconds and placed in an antibiotic solution [Neomycin and Polymyxin] [group II], Chlorhexidine 0.4% [group III], and povidone-iodine 10% [group IV] respectively. In group I, 22 of 50 specimens had positive cultures. Of 50 specimens of group II and IV, positive cultures were found in 3 and 2 grafts respectively after 10 days whereas no positive cultures were detected in any samples of group III. Chlorhexidine 0.4% seems to be the best antiseptic solution for discontaminating the contaminated bone samples although it did not have any significant difference with povidone-iodine and other antibiotic solution