NEW PROCEDURE FOR PRESERVING DONOR TISSUE PROMISES TO BE A GAME CHANGER FOR JOINT REPAIR SURGERY

A new technology will help surgeons more than double the shelf life of donor tissue for joint replacement surgery. A research study at the University of Missouri School of Medicine on the viability of donor tissue for joint repair surgery has led to the development of a new preservation method that doubles how long donor tissue can be stored and successfully implanted into a new patient.

Published in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, the study was co-authored by James Standard and J. Vernon Luck Sr. of the MU School of Medicine. The new technology, called Missouri Osteochondral Allograft Preservation System (MOPS) extends the shelf life of donor tissue from 28 days, the previous standard, to 60 days.

ACL Revision Beverly Hills 

“At the moment, as much as 80 percent of donor tissue for procedures like ACL revision to repair a torn ACL has to be discarded because the tissue is no longer healthy to use by the time the patient is ready for surgery,” said Dr. Eric Millstein, who regularly performs ACL revision surgery in Beverly Hills.

When a patient suffers an injury or progressive damage to a joint or ligament like the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), surgeons frequently use donor tissue (allograft) to repair the injury. Traditional methods for storing donor tissue in a preservation solution in a medical grade refrigeration unit can keep the tissue viable for an average of 28 days, making most tissue unusable by the time it reaches surgeons for implantation.

Orthopedic Surgery Outcomes 

With the MOPS system, a special preservation solution and container was developed to allow for the tissue to be stored at room temperature for as long as 60 days. The study found that up to 100% of donated tissue was still usable at 60 days, as opposed to only 20% after 28 days under the traditional system.

“By the time we get a patient ready and schedule surgery, the donor tissue we need for the procedure may no longer work,” added Dr. Millstein. “It can be a huge waste, and this new technology can have a profound impact on orthopedic surgery in general.”

If you have an ACL tear or joint injury and would like to discuss your options, contact Beverly Hills orthopedic surgeon Dr. Millstein today at 310-595-1030 to schedule a consultation, or make an appointment online.