What is tissue donation?
Tissues are structures with a specific function, forming a group of identical cells, such as:
- The Corneas
- Heart valves
- bone
- skin
Tissue donation is an altruistic gesture that allows the transplantation of healthy tissues into patients who need it.
Who can donate tissues?
Human tissues can be harvested from:
- deceased donors: from whom tissues are taken (donors who are brain dead or in cardiocirculatory arrest), or donors from whom organs cannot be harvested but who qualify for tissue donation (donors with a stopped heart)
- Living donors: patients who undergo certain types of surgery, which result in surgical waste that can be donated, and who have previously expressed their consent to the donation
How is human tissue harvested carried out?
In the case of living donors, the procurement procedures are carried out by the doctors/surgeons.
The collection of tissues from deceased donors is carried out by health professionals, duly trained and qualified, and is carried out in facilities that ensure clean and safe conditions during the procedure.
Among the obligations of the collection teams are to ensure the reconstruction of the body of the deceased donor, restoring its initial appearance, and to treat the donor with due respect and dignity.
In both cases, only the collection units authorized by the Directorate-General for Health can carry out the tissue harvesting activity, thus ensuring that all the quality and safety requirements associated with these procedures are met.
Which fabrics are processed by the tissue bank?
The tissue bank of the Portuguese Institute of Blood and Transplantation processes, analyzes, stores and distributes the following tissues:
- Heart Valves
- Musculoskeletal Tissue (Bone, Tendons, Fascia Lata)
- skin
- amniotic membrane
What are fabrics used for?
The tissues distributed by the tissue bank have very diverse applications from ophthalmology, to cardiac surgery, and orthopedics when transplantation is the only option available to restore tissue function.
For example, corneal transplantation is performed on patients who have lost their sight in an accident or due to illness, or young people who have bone malformations or who have had cancer, need a bone transplant.
Source: Portuguese Institute of Blood and Transplantation (IPST)