Risk of disease transmission with bone allograft.

Why is the risk of disease transmission with bone allograft an important topic? Approximately 1 million bone allografts are implanted every year in the United States. Although safety measures to prevent disease transmission have improved significantly over the past 2 decades, infectious complications remain a relevant concern. During informed consent, patients invariably take pause at the prospect of potentially contracting a serious and incurable condition from surgery. Although many are adequately reassured with the proverbial “1 in a million” estimated risk, astute clinicians should be prepared to provide the more incisive individuals a deeper understanding of the real and theoretical risks of allograft.