Tissue Transplantation and Medical Indications

Tissue donation includes bone, tendons, cartilage, connective tissue, skin, corneas, sclera, heart for valves, and vessels. These grafts are used for a variety of surgical applications. A tissue transplant in hospitals, day surgery centers, and dental offices occurs nearly every day. These surgeries often are not adequately appreciated as life changing, life enhancing, and in the case of skin for burn patients even life-saving events which are donor dependent. The following table illustrates some of the multiple clinical applications of allograft tissue.

Surgical Specialty	Transplantable Tissues	Indications	Typical Applications	Benefit To Patients
Ocular
Ophthalmology	Cornea	Keratopathy Keratoconus Dystropathy Corneal scars and ulcers	Replace diseased or damaged cornea	Prevents blindness Restores vision
	Sclera	Glaucoma Trauma Congenital deformities	Sclera patch graft Repair eyelid Reinforce wall of eye	Preserves structure Repairs defects Aid in intraocular, pressure stabilization
	Fascia	Lidtonis	Eye lid repair	Improves lid function and appearance
Musculoskeletal – Bone and Connective Tissue
Orthopaedics Podiatry Dentistry Plastic Surgery Oral-Maxillofacial	Long Bones Iliac Crest Acetabulum Rib	Tumors Trauma Congenital Deformities Degenerative Diseases Fractures	Reconstruction and repair Hip revision Spinal fusion Jaw and facial defect surgery Dental surgery Bone replacement	Prevents amputation Accelerates and promotes healing Restores mobility Reduces pain and possibility of nerve damage Restores normal appearance
	Patellar Tendon Achilles Tendon Cartilage Fascia Lata	Congenital Deformities Traumatic injury	Tendon replacement and/or repair Use as rotator cuff Reconstruction in traumatic Facial injuries/deformity	Restores mobility Restores independence in activities of daily living Restores normal appearance
Skin
General Surgery Trauma Burn Surgery	Skin	Burns Soft tissue wounds	Skin grafts on severe burn injuries Grafts for slow or non-healing wounds	Promotes healing Protects underlying tissues Prevents loss of bodily fluids Provides protection barrier against infection Relieves pain
Vascular
Thoracic & Vascular	Heart Valves	Valvular Disease	Aortic and pulmonary valve replacement	Reduces long-term anticoagulant therapy Allows children to grow into graft (reduces need for second surgery)
	Saphenous Veins	Bypass Surgery	CABG (Coronary artery bypass surgery) Below the knee vascularization	Restores cardiac function Prevents amputation
Neurosurgery
Neurosurgery	Pericardium	Trauma Neurology Hemorrhage	Neurosurgery	Protective covering Structural preservation
Urology
Urology	Fascia	Bladder repair and suspension	Bladder prolapse	Improved function and pain reduction