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TISSUE DONATION
Tissue donation differs from organ donation in several ways. Most significantly, tissue
donation is not limited to head trauma situations where brain death occurs. Tissue donation
remains an option for up to twenty four hours after the heart stops beating and death is
declared and is a possibility even if the deceased did not die in a hospital. Tissue
recovery is a sterile procedure which is conducted in a manner very similar to
traditional surgery. This, coupled with the processing techniques, helps ensure that
the recipient receives high quality, safe transplantable tissues.
WHO CAN DONATE?
The criteria for tissue donation varies. Most people, regardless of age or prior
medical history are able to donate some tissue. No one should assume that their
tissue can not be used because of their age or medical condition.
THE NEED
Hundreds of thousands of people are treated every year using donated tissue. Nationwide,
more than eight hundred thousand tissue grafts are annually distributed. Medical
researchers continue to discover new ways to treat patients using donated
tissue, resulting in greater need each year.
TISSUES WHICH CAN BE DONATED
Whole Eye/Corneas
Heart Valves
Skin
Bone
Saphenous Veins
HOW DONOR TISSUES CAN BENEFIT OTHERS
WHOLE EYE/CORNEAS
If corneas are donated, two people can benefit from the gift of sight. The cornea is a clear
lens sitting on the front of the eye and when removed, it looks like a soft contact lens. If
the whole eye is donated, again, the corneas may give two people sight. The sclera, or
white part of the eye, can be used for several different procedures. An eye prosthesis
can be made from the sclera shell or it can be used to patch an eye with a penetrating
injury. Also, the sclera can be used in a Moltene procedure, an ophthalmic procedure
used to treat glaucoma, therefore preventing blindness. As many as ten people can
benefit from whole eye donation.
HEART VALVES
Two people may benefit from a heart valve donation. The heart is removed and
sent to the tissue bank for removal of the aortic and pulmonic valves. These
valves are used for heart valve replacements. A person receiving a human
donated valve does not need anti-coagulant (blood thinner) therapy, as do those
receiving a mechanical valve. Anti-coagulant therapy poses a 1.5% fatality risk per
year when used. Therefore, it is beneficial for children and young adults to
receive human valves.
SKIN
One skin donor can help as many as eight people. The skin removed is superficial, about
the thickness of a Kleenex, leaving an appearance as a sunburn when removed. The skin
is removed from the abdomen, middle to lower back, buttocks and the front and back of
the thigh. Donated skin is used with burn victims. Donated skin can be placed on a wound
and left up to six weeks. During this time, the patient has the opportunity to
grow his own skin without the trauma of losing new skin tissue to dressing changes. New
and exposed nerve endings are covered during this time, decreasing the patient’s
pain. Also, by covering the wound, the risk of an introduction of pathogens
decreases, reducing the risk of infection.
BONE
One bone donor can help as many as one hundred people. The bone recovered is
from the iliac crest to the ankles, including cartilage, tendons and ligaments. The
bone is used in orthopedic, neurosurgical and plastic surgeries. Some
of these surgeries are spinal fusions and reconstructive surgeries. For
people who have bone tumors, or a traumatic bone crushing injury, the bone
can simply be removed and replaced with cadaver bone, preventing an amputation
of the limb. Hips can be replaced and knees repaired with bone donation. In males,
the humerus can be removed and is large enough to do a female hip replacement.
SAPHENOUS VEINS
A vein donor can help two to three people. The saphenous vein is a large vein in the leg.
Saphenous veins are often used by people who are having coronary artery bypass grafting
(CABG). For those same patients returning seven to ten years later having no saphenous
vein, donated vein can be used. For people who have severe vascular
diseases and need vascular surgeries, (aortic-femoral bypass), again saphenous
vein can be used.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS
With all donation, the individual can still have an open casket funeral. Eyes are replaced
with eye caps and closed, without leaving any changes in the patient’s appearance.
KODA TISSUE SERVICES IS ACCREDITED
BY THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF TISSUE BANKS.
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