Tissue donors may be deceased persons whose death has been established by law, or living persons whose tissues, destined to be ‘waste material’, are harvested during surgery.
Tissue safety starts with a careful and accurate assessment of the donor’s suitability: the suitability criteria, in fact, are very selective and are based on medical and social history, clinical and physical status, the results of serological tests performed on the blood taken, and any autopsy.
Tissue donors can be divided into three classes:
Bone segments, tendons, cartilage, whose function is to provide support and enable
movement.
Heart Valves, Arteries and Vessels responsible for blood circulation. Pericardium, the thin
membrane that protects the heart.
Donated by planned caesarean section and used to extract the thin tissue that surrounds it:
the Amniotic Membrane.
Skin or Skin. Derma, the tissue immediately beneath the skin.
For autologous use
It is mothers who give birth by planned caesarean section who decide to donate PLACENTA.
Amniotic membrane is extracted from this, a very valuable tissue with anti-adhesive, bacteriostatic and pain-relieving properties, which is mainly used to restore wounds in large burns, to treat corneal ulcers or as a treatment in arthrosis.
It is patients undergoing hip replacement surgery with prostheses who donate the FEMOR HEAD.
Although severely compromised, this will be used in the treatment of patients with major bone defects.
These are patients who have undergone saphenectomy surgery and who donate the SAFEN vein.
This tissue, instead of being discarded, will become very valuable because it will be used in the treatment of patients with severe circulatory problems.
The will to become a donor is regulated by Law No 91/99, which establishes the principle of explicit assent or dissent, whereby anyone is given the opportunity to validly declare his or her will to donate by choosing one of the ways set out below:
MUNICIPAL REGISTRY OFFICE
If the service is already active, at the municipal registry office when the identity card is issued or renewed. The declaration will be registered directly in SIT, the database of the National Transplant Centre, which can be consulted by the Transplant Coordination staff 24 hours a day.
ASL COUNTERS
At one of the reference counters of the ASLs, by filling in the appropriate form, which will be registered directly in SIT.
AIDO REGISTRATION
By registering with the Aido Organ and Tissue Donors Association. Also in this case the signed declaration will be registered directly in SIT.
BLUE CARD
By filling in the Ministry of Health’s blue card, which can be downloaded online.
The card must be signed, dated and kept among personal documents.
HOLOGRAPHIC ACT
By writing a declaration in your own hand on a blank sheet of paper, also known as a ‘holographic deed’, complete with date and signature. This declaration must also be kept among personal documents.
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