Tissue donation- a life changer, and saver

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Imagine your child was born with a heart problem, and the only answer was a donated heart valve. Or you have a bad accident and urgently need a bone graft. You probably wouldn't hesitate to make use of these medical marvels, but have you ever thought about the donors who make such operations possible? They are people who have thought about what they would like to happen after their death, and decided they would like to help other people in perhaps one of the most meaningful and lasting ways possible. They are tissue donors, in other words they have decided to allow some of their tissues to be donated after their death so that others can benefit.

Tissue donation and the NBS

Most people know that the National Blood Service (NBS) runs the country's blood donation and banking services. But the NBS also operates a tissue donation and banking programme, through NBS Tissue Services. Its specially-trained staff works closely with families, hospitals, health professionals and other services to raise awareness of tissue donation and maintain the highest standards in this life-saving field.

What is tissue donation?

Every year hundreds of lives are saved with the help of donated organs such as hearts and kidneys. But you may not realize that donated tissues such as skin, bone and heart valves can dramatically improve the quality of life for recipients, and even save lives.

Who can donate?

Some tissues, such as bone, can be donated during life. But most tissues are donated after death, by people who have expressed a wish during their lifetime to help others in this way by joining the NHS Organ Donor Register - Click here for more information.

Many people can be considered for tissue donation after death. Unlike organs, tissues can be donated up to 24 hours after a person's heart has stopped beating.

The tissues donated by one donor may enable up to 50 people to benefit from tissue transplant surgery.

(Click here for Martyn's story).

What tissues can be donated during life?

Bone grafts can make an enormous difference, restoring health and mobility to many patients (Click here for Zelda's story). At some hospitals, patients undergoing hip replacement surgery are asked if they would be willing to donate the bone they will lose anyway during their operation. This can be used for bone grafts in patients who have lost bone due to disease, trauma or as a result of previous surgery. Many such donations are needed to provide enough bone to meet requirements.

Certain sight-saving operations rely on a rather unusual donated tissue – the amniotic membrane that surrounds a baby inside the womb. This tissue is obtained, with their consent, from mothers undergoing a planned caesarian section. A single membrane can help up to 60 patients.


What tissues can be donated after death?

Many kinds of tissues can be donated after death. Bone is vitally important for grafts that are used in operations aimed at reducing patients' pain, and improving or restoring their mobility. (Click here for Martin's story). Annually approximately 10,000 bone transplants are performed.

Heart valves can be transplanted to save the lives of patients, including young children, suffering from diseased or damaged valves. (Click here for Katys' story). Annually 800 heart valve transplants were carried out last year.

Skin can help save the lives of severely burned victims. The skin graft helps to reduce pain, and prepare the underlying tissues for later cosmetic grafting. It also helps to reduce scarring in these patients. It can take many donations of skin to treat a severely burned patient (Click here for Nicky's story).

Tendons can be used for to restore mobility in patients with badly damaged knee joints, usually following sporting injuries. (Click here for Chris's story).

Corneas can be transplanted into patients suffering from severe eye disease or injury. Sometimes the sclera of the eye is also needed for transplant during reconstructive eye surgery. About 2,500 corneal transplants were performed last year. (Click here for Everette's story).

Can anyone donate tissue?

Joining the Organ Donor Register and discussing your wishes with your family are important steps to take. At the time of your death, they make it easier for the subject of tissue donation to be raised and discussed.

Many people can be considered for tissue donation following death. In order to ensure that donated tissues are as safe as possible, the donor's medical and behavioural history is reviewed in a similar way as for blood donors. This reduces the risk of transmitting disease to a patient. A blood sample is taken from the donor and tested for viruses including HIV and hepatitis. Family interviews are carried out by specially-trained Organ or Tissue Donor Co-ordinators, who try to carry out the wishes of the donor and their family.

Can tissue be donated just for medical research purposes?

It is sometimes possible to donate tissues just for medical research and development if that is the expressed wish of the donor and their family. Again the Co-ordinator will try to arrange this if the family wishes it (Click here for Zoe's story).

For additional Information

England & Wales - The Human Tissue Authority - www.hta.gov.uk
Scotland - Medical School Aberdeen Department of Anatomy  - Tel: 01224 274320 / 01224 272 000
Dundee - University of Dundee - Faculty of Life Sciences - Tel: 01382 344 206
Edinburgh - University of Edinburgh - Department of Biomedical Sciences - Tel: 01316 502 997 / 01316 508 318
Glasgow - University of Glasgow - The Anatomy Department - Tel: 01413 304 296 / 01413 398 855
Fife - University of St Andrews - Department of Anatomy - Tel: 01334 463 601
For Northern Ireland - Queens University Belfast - Medical Biology Centre - Tel: 02890 972 131

Why donate?

Tissue transplantation offers huge benefits to many people, relieving their pain, helping them to see, or walk again, or return to work. A tissue transplant can even save lives. Donation of tissues, especially in cases when organ donation is not possible, can offer the opportunity for relatives to fulfil their loved one's wishes. Many bereaved families take comfort in the knowledge that their loved one has helped others in this way.

I'd like to become a donor. What should I do?


If you would like to help others after your death, please

Register on the NHS Organ Donor Register (more details and online registration can be found at www.uktransplant.org.uk or register through the Organ Donor Line on 0845 60 60 400)

Make your wishes known to your family or next of kin


Other Related Web-sites

British Association for Tissue Banking (BATB) – www.batb.org.uk

UK Transplant (UKT) – www.uktransplant.org.uk


Related Downloads

Tissue Donation PDF (Welsh)




Q and A British Bone Marrow Registry

Katy's story

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