Human Tissue Graft Information

Your surgeon may have informed you that one of your tissues is worn or diseased. It may need to be repaired of replaced.

One of the options your surgeon may have discussed with you is donated human tissue (allograft).

Using allograft tissue usually eliminates the need to harvest one of your tissues from a second surgical site. As a result, it also may shorten your hospital stay.

Also in This Section

Allograft vs. Autograft

A patient's own tissue - an autograft - can often be used for a surgical reconstruction procedure. Allograft tissue, taken from another person, takes longer to incorporate into the recpient’s body .

Tissue Donation

When a hospital patient dies and the expired patient meets tissue-donor criteria, the family may be asked if it is interested in tissue donation.

Tissue Processing

Once tissues are received, the processing organization stores the tissues in temperature controlled sub-zero freezers while donor medical history and the results of cultures and blood tests are reviewed.

Tissue Tracking

The American Association of Tissue Bank and Joint Commission Accredited Hospital Organization require that all human tissues must be able to be tracked from donor to recipient.

Storage and Distribution

Human tissues do not have to be used immediately. They can be stored for a period of time until they are needed.

Implantation and Safety

The chart below lists some of the types of reconstructive surgeries such as orthopedic, neurologic, cardiovascular, spinal, ophthalmologic, and sports medicine that might utilize human tissue. The chart also includes tissue grafts normally used for these surgeries: