Katy Gallagher has the moderately surprising news that the ACT Bone Bank has joined the DonateLife ACT network.
(Surprising in that many will be unaware of the existence of an ACT Bone Bank)
“Having the ACT Bone Bank join DonateLife ACT has completed another of the Federal Government’s national reform package tasks to establish a nationally coordinated approach to organ and tissue donation for transplantation,” Ms Gallagher said.
“ACTBB is a living donor femoral head tissue bank and its primary role is to collect, screen, store and distribute donated human bone for transplant purposes. Throughout 2010, the ACTBB had 140 bone donations, which is double the previous yearly average,” Ms Gallagher said.
Patients undergoing elective hip replacement surgery may donate the ball part of the joint (femoral head) which otherwise would be discarded. This bone is tested, stored andused for surgical procedures such as bone grafts for orthopeadic surgery including those undergoing spinal surgery, bone tumour surgery and hip revisions.
Comforting to know these things go on.
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