A surgeon has requested a new tissue graft not in the current inventory. From the company's literature, it's not easy to tell whether the tissue is similar to others already in stock. Decisions like these are challenging because tissue grafts come with a host of safety, clinical, and cost issues.…

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These are examples of types of bone allograft products and purposes they serve. With the chart on page 12, this information can help OR teams determine where a new allograft product would fit into current inventory. Allograft cancellous chips Cancellous chips, a common nonstructural human allograft bone material, serve as…

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Screening of tissue donors is a critical step in ensuring tissue safety. Screening is a complex, multidisciplinary process that begins every time a family says "yes" to the option of donation and ends when tissue is released for transplant. Tissue banks vary in what is considered a suitable donor. Regulating…

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When your OR is selecting allograft tissue, how do you know which federal regulations govern their safety? The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) uses a tiered approach to regulating these materials, explains Scott Brubaker, CTBS, chief policy officer for the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB). Minimally processed tissue…

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Third in a series on managing bone allografts. In the October issue, articles included were Allografts: Overview of the process; and Donor screening: First step in safety. In the November issue, articles included Help in evaluating bone allografts; Bone allografts: Options for healing; and Making good choices of DBM products.…

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These are examples of types of bone allograft products and purposes they serve. With the chart on page 12, this information can help OR teams determine where a new allograft product would fit into current inventory. Allograft cancellous chips Cancellous chips, a common nonstructural human allograft bone material, serve as…

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Bone-graft substitutes are one of the most challenging types of materials OR teams must consider. They include grafts made from human tissues, animals, synthetics, and combinations. They all attempt to replicate the "gold standard" for bone repair, the patient's own tissue. This issue continues our series on bone-graft substitutes in…

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With their array of gels, pastes, and putties, demineralized bone matrix (DBM) products are a confusing area. What questions can your OR team ask to help make good product choices? OR Manager talked with experts who outlined issues to consider. Suggested questions to ask companies are in the sidebar on…

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Screening of tissue donors is a critical step in ensuring tissue safety. Screening is a complex, multidisciplinary process that begins every time a family says "yes" to the option of donation and ends when tissue is released for transplant. Tissue banks vary in what is considered a suitable donor. Regulating…

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Like organ donation, tissue donation is an end-of-life gift that can save or enhance the lives of 50 people, often many more. Donated human tissue, also called allografts, can be used in a variety of replacement, reconstructive, or regenerative surgical procedures. Beginning with an individual's decision to donate, each step…

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