Musculoskeletal transplant

Allograft tissue has been used for more than two centuries in the repair of musculoskeletal injuries and defects. More than 150,000 procedures are performed each year in the United States alone, 10 times the number of organ transplants. Nurses caring for allograft recipients may be unfamiliar with where tissue comes from, how it is recovered, and the variety of its practical applications. Similar to the process of organ donation, with which many nurses have had experience, it all begins with the gift.