Tissue and organ donation is truly a gift of hope to the donor families as well as to those whose lives are enhanced or saved because of the donor's generosity.
What are uses for donated tissue?
American Red Cross Tissue Services, one of the nation's largest tissue gathering and distribution organizations, provides human allograft tissue for transplantation.
Since 1982, the Red Cross has provided lifesaving and life-enhancing tissue (heart valve, skin, ligament, tendon, bone, major blood vessel, fascia- muscle covering) to more than 600,000 people. We also operate a national dental program to provide bone powder materials that enhance new bone growth in a variety of periodontal procedures.
All tissue is procured and processed in a sterile environment. Donor coordinators work with each donor family to obtain a medical history of the donor. Each donor is tested for diseases such as AIDS and hepatitis.
Donated tissue is then processed into almost 400 forms that are either freeze-dried, frozen or fresh. The processed tissue is then used in orthopedic, neuralgic, plastic, cardiovascular and oral reconstructive surgery.
Examples of the ways in which tissue is used include the following:
- Repair bone defects
- Reconstruct total joints (hip and knee)
- Treatment of burn injuries
- Spinal surgery (fusion, correction of scoliosis)
- Replace bone loss from trauma
- Salvage limbs following tumor surgery
- Periodontal surgery (dental implants)
To become a donor, you sign a donor card or designate your intention on your driver's license. Most importantly, you must inform your loved ones about your decision.
To donate tissue or learn more about the Red Cross tissue program, call 1-888-4-TISSUE.
What is a tissue donation?
Tissue is the nonliving parts of your body such as skin, heart valves, bones and veins. It can be transplanted from one person to help save or enhance others' lives.
One tissue donation can enhance the lives of as many as 50 patients. In the United States today, very little of the need for certain human tissues for transplantation is met.
Donation occurs after a loved one dies. The family must consent. During the consent process, a trained donor coordinator asks permission for each tissue to be procured, so the family knows exactly what they are giving of the donor. Highly skilled and trained Red Cross professionals work with donor families to educate them about the donation process, offer counseling services and secure donor consent.
What are the uses of tissue donation?
| Skin
– used as a temporary covering to reduce pain and lower the
chance of infection to patients with severe burns.
Heart valves – to help children born with heart problems or adults who have heart disease and damaged heart valves. Bone – to repair or replace bone after serious injury, bone cancer or crippling diseases of the bone. Tendons and ligaments – to replace or strengthen damaged tissues in injured knees and other joints. |
 |
| Once tissue
is secured, the Red Cross ensures that various safety measures occur
so patients receive the safest tissue available. | |
