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Focus on Quality:
Generally speaking, bone and soft tissue donors must be 12–70 years of age and weigh a minimum of 88 pounds (40 kg). Cardiovascular tissue donors must be between 36 weeks gestation and 55 years old and weigh a minimum of 8 pounds (3.64 kg). In addition, saphenous vein donors must be males between 17 and 50 years old. All donor tissue must be recovered within 24 hours of death. Donor age can have an effect on the structure of musculoskeletal tissues and render these allografts less biomechanically or biochemically sound. Therefore, LifeNet Health may place age constraints on specific bio-implant types. Age can affect the suitability of weight-bearing grafts. Younger donors with epiphyseal plates in iliac crest wedges, patellar wedges, Cloward dowels, patellar tendons, and Achilles tendons are unsuitable for release because the presence of an epiphyseal plate may lead to bio-implant failure or slow incorporation. LifeNet Health looks at many other factors when determining whether a donor meets our eligibility criteria. Active conditions, such as viral disease, septicemia, tuberculosis, meningitis, rheumatic fever and others can disqualify a donor. Malignancies anywhere in the body can result in the deferral of donation, and many types of trauma force a case-by-case decision. Other conditions, histories and behaviors can affect our decision, as well. Contact us to learn more. |
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LifeNet Health is committed to ensuring that only safe and effective tissue is released for transplantation. Our guidelines for donor suitability are based on the guidelines of the FDA and AATB. In some cases, however, our own guidelines are even more stringent than required.