An initial evaluation of characteristics of cryopreserved allogeneic nerve tissues at Tissue Bank, Viet Duc University Hospital

Abstract

Cryopreservation of allogeneic nerve tissue has been researched and applied in peripheral nerve reconstruction, overcoming the limitations of autografts. This study aims to describe the characteristics of recovery, processing, cryopreservation and distribution of cryopreserved allogeneic nerve tissue at the Tissue Bank, Viet Duc University Hospital. The study uses a descriptive and prospective study method. The results showed that 32 nerve tissues were harvested from 8 brain-death donors. The average age of donors was 34±13 (range from 16 to 50 years old). All donors tested negative for HIV, HBV, and HCV. 32/32 (100%) nerve tissues were ivory-white in colour, intact, without discolouration, tearing, or breakage. Among these, 16 tissues (50%) were saphenous nerve tissues with lengths ranging from 210 to 320 mm and 16 tissues (50%) were tibial nerves with lengths ranging from 100 to 380 mm. All the microbiological culture tests were negative. Three nerve allografts have been transplanted into patients with the normal nerve fibre structures after thawing.