The safe and effective use of allograft tissue--an update.

The use of allograft tissue in orthopaedic surgery has increased tremendously over the last several years. Tissue availability, reduced surgical times, and lack of donor site morbidity are attractive characteristics to surgeons and patients alike. Although complications, such as disease transmission, are relatively uncommon when using allograft tissue, they do occur. This article will review the literature concerning the safe and effective use of allograft tissue, as well as present four case reports of Clostridium septicum infection caused by implantation of contaminated allograft tissue.