Organs and Tissues That Can Be Donated

Mary will tell you that she has been doubly blessed by the "Gift of Life."  She benefited from the life-saving gift of a kidney transplant and several years later received a tissue transplant when she had a cervical fusion of bones in her spine.

The Gift of Life made possible through organ and tissue donation can change the lives of more than 50 individuals.

Most people have heard of organ donation, but tissue donation is not as commonly discussed. Yet, it is actually much more common. Listed below are a few facts about the tissues that can be donated.

Bone:

• An estimated 300,000 bone grafts are done yearly.
• Bone is the second most transplanted tissue today, second only to blood.
• Bone is utilized for transplantation in many different surgical specialties, including neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery. A bone transplant may also be used to replace bone lost in severe trauma, or to repair the severe curvature of the spine in children.

Skin:

• Transplanted skin is used as replacement tissue more than 100,000 times per year. Three-fourths of this usage occurs with skin that provides a wound dressing for severe burn patients. With severe burns, skin can be a lifesaving treatment by providing a barrier to infection and heat loss. By covering the burns with donated skin, the amount of pain and scarring is greatly reduced.
• Another 500,000 patients could have their wound-healing times shortened if enough skin were available.

Heart Valves:

• Heart valves are used in cardiovascular surgery for patients with valvular disease.
• The heart valves may be used from hearts that cannot be used for transplantation.
• Heart valves are recovered for use in children and adults who suffer from degenerative or congenital heart defects.

Soft Tissue:

• Fascia lata, the thin, fibrous covering of the thigh muscle, can be used to repair many different defects.
• Tendons and ligaments can be used in many different orthopedic procedures.

Veins and Arteries (Saphenous and Femoral):

• Veins are used for heart bypass surgeries.
• Arteries are used for venous insufficiency.
• Arteries are used for IV access.
• Arteries and veins are used for diabetic A-V fistula.
• Arteries and veins are used for various bypass procedures.