 About VIFM Organisation Donor Tissue Bank NCIS Paternity Testing DNA Testing Expert Opinion Job opportunities Events Contacts and Links |
|
|
|
HOME > Community > Tissue Donation > Musculoskeletal Tissue Donation |
|
|
||
|
Donation of Musculoskeletal Tissue |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Often more effective than artificial alternatives, bone and other musculoskeletal grafts can make reconstruction more feasible or shorten the recovery time for many orthopaedic procedures. The musculoskeletal tissue which can be donated is as follows:
The age restrictions on bone and musculoskeletal tissue donation are as follows:
Musculoskeletal is either stored at -80 degrees Celsius and can remain frozen at this temperature for a maximum of 5 years, or it is freeze dried, a process involving the removal of all moisture from the graft under vacuum. This process allows it to be stored at room temperature. The musculoskeletal tissue is stored on-site at the Donor Tissue Bank of Victoria, and is dispatched under controlled conditions to numerous hospitals Australia-wide immediately prior to operation. Bone donations are used to fill cavities created after the removal of a tumour, or to provide structural support for fracture non-unions, and to reinforce bone that has been weakened, particularly following total joint replacement. Bones are often 'milled' by the surgeon, enabling them to be used to fill defects in the recipient's bone stock, including impaction grafting procedures. Bone tissue can also be used as an entire graft in what is termed a 'hemijoint replacement'. This occurs when the recipient's own bone has had to be removed entirely, usually due to tumour, and this is replaced by an allograft bone of the same anatomical kind and size, hence half a joint is replaced. FACT: Bone is the second most transplanted tissue in the world, second only to blood. When bone is transplanted into a recipient, the recipient's cells begin to undergo a process called 'creeping substitution', which consists of resorption of the donor bone and deposition of new recipient bone. The donor bone acts as a scaffolding for this process to occur, stimulating the recipient's cells to begin producing the new bone. This process occurs over many years. Fascia lata is a dense tissue which runs down the lateral side of the upper part of the leg, and is used widely to treat and correct many orthopaedic, ophthalmic and urogynaecological conditions. Donated tendons and ligaments are used to replace torn or irreparably damaged tendons and ligaments in the recipient. They are often transplanted to the same anatomical position, however, they can be trimmed and remodelled by the surgeon to replace any number of ligaments/tendons or to reinforce revised joints. Meniscal grafts are used to replace a damaged meniscus in the recipient and are most commonly used in patients who have previous injury or surgery, resulting in a loss of meniscal tissue. Meniscal tears cause pain, swelling and locking of the knee joint, and are often unable to be repaired using any other surgical techniques. Meniscal transplants help restore normal anatomy and provide pain-free stability in the knee of the recipient, allowing the recipient to return to normal physical activity. Living Donor ProgramBone tissue can also be obtained through the Living Donor Program. This program provides individuals who are undergoing a hip replacement, and who are otherwise healthy, the opportunity to donate the bone which is routinely removed at the time of surgery and would be otherwise discarded. This is only possible with the full consent of the donor. The bone is removed at one of the participating hospitals in metropolitan Melbourne or large regional centres, and transported to the Donor Tissue Bank of Victoria where it is tested and then stored in a freezer where it is held in quarantine for 6 months at which time we ask the donor to have a blood test to confirm the absence of infectious diseases. Once the donated bone has completed all its testing and the results are satisfactory, it can be transplanted to another patient.
|
