Tendons & Ligaments

Additional Information

The Supercritical CO2 Sterilisation Process

As with any human tissue, sterilisation is critical and is why our tendons & ligaments use a supercritical CO2 sterilisation process. This process utilises supercritical fluid technology to cleanse and sterilise allograft tissues. The process balances pressure and temperature of SCCO2 to simultaneously extract blood and lipids from the allograft while terminally sterilising the tissue in its final packaging – eliminating any potential for contamination during handling – resulting in an allograft with a Sterility Assurance Level (SAL) of 10-6.

The goal of sterilisation is to eliminate all risk of infection while maintaining the biologic and mechanical properties of the tissue. Allograft sensitivity to harsh sterilisation methods is well documented, and to date there is no perfect method of sterilisation. This has made the quest for the ideal allograft tissue matrix elusive. In order to accomplish this, critical questions have to be addressed during allograft processing.

Advantages Include:

• Gives the surgeon the proper biocompatible matrix
• provides pathways for cell proliferation
• withstands the immediate structural forces
• reduces inflammation and foreign body reaction
• infused with growth factors that have the potential to combine advantages of both allograft and autograft use without the disadvantages or potential complications of either
• addresses all prior challenges in tissue sterilisation and provides the surgeon and patient with the ideal scaffolding matrix for improved patient outcomes