Blood, organ or tissue donation is an act of generosity. Often it can save human lives or cure severe diseases, but it can also improve the quality of life of many patients who are ill or who undergo reconstructive surgery. As for organ donation, you can donate bone and other tissues by giving your consent before death. Patients who undergo prosthetic hip surgery for coxarthrosis or endoprothesis for fractures may donate the femur head that is removed to implant the prothesis.
Why is musculoskeletal tissue donation important
Biomaterials and tissue from the tissue bank are essential for reconstruction in orthopaedic surgery. The latter can replace loss of bone substance in prosthetic reimplants, spine surgery, fracture synthesis and in ligament reconstructions.
It is essential in conservative surgery for bone tumors: today limb amputation has been widely replaced by functional reconstruction, feasible thanks to donated bone segments. This avoids loss of the limb, allowing a normal lifestyle and a better quality of life.
What is done at the Rizzoli
At the Rizzoli we are engaged on this front. The Rizzoli Institute Cell and Musculoskeletal Tissue Bank (BTM) is the most important in the country for number of tissues distributed and for the complete range of tissues produced.
Transplants of the jaw, ankle and knee were performed thanks to the distribution of tissues from the BTM, and the first worldwide total shoulder joint transplant was performed at here.
You want more details?
The importance of donating musculoskeletal tissues (bone, tendons, cartilage) is not well known, however this is a way of helping people who are ill or who have had traumas improve their quality of life. This is why we invite you to consider becoming a donor.
If you want more details on the topic you can consult the Rizzoli Institute Cell and Musculoskeletal Tissue Bank (BTM) website. More in general you can find useful information on donations and transplants at the website Regional Referral Transplant Center (CTR) of the Emilia-Romagna Region and on the national website National Transplant Center (CNT).
If you want more specific information you can contact us at the following e-mail: btm@ior.it. You can also visit the Cell and Musculoskeletal Tissue Bank (BTM) on the ground floor of the Rizzoli Hospital and we will be happy to answer your questions.