title: [Banks of vascular homografts].
abstract: We define as Banking of the tissues all the procedures that include the finding, preparation, conservation and distribution of the homograft. The vascular homografts are taken and put into a solution of transportation at +4 degrees C and kept at this temperature till their arrival at the Bank. The following step is the dissection of the homograft which will have to be performed as quickly as possible at most 24 hours after the taking in conditions of maximum sterility. At the Italian Homograft Bank at Centro Cardiologico, the vascular homografts are kept at +4 degrees C for 96 hours on average with antibiotics. After a phase of sterilization at +4 degrees C the tissue is frozen according to a homogeneous and controlled thermic decrease and stored at -150 degrees C/-180 degrees C in fumes of liquid nitrogen till the moment of their employment allowing a long term conservation. The aim of all these procedures of cryopreservation is to keep the structural and functional integrity of cells and tissues. The thermic decrease of the tissues must occur so that to avoid all the damages of the cellular vitality and functionality and especially of the tissue structure in toto. In order to limitate these events some cryoprotector agents are employed because they reduce the concentration of the solutes, the cellular dehydration, the formation of micro-macro crystals. Another step to establish if the homograft is proper is the study of bacteriological and viral aspects. The viral screenings are performed on the donor's blood and the bacteriological tests are performed on the tissue and on the liquids. For each phase of the banking a series of information about the donor and about the tissues are recorded and filed both on paper and database so that to grant always a right conduct of the material.
authors.affiliation: Banca Italiana Omoinnesti Centro Cardiologico Fondazione I. Monzino Cattedra di Cardiochirurgia dell'Università degli Studi di Milano.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Polvani
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guarino
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pompilio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parolari
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piccolo
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sala
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Biglioli
mesh_terms: D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000637:transplantation*; D006801:Humans; D009926:Organ Preservation; D011786:Quality Control; D013242:Sterilization; D014015:Tissue Banks / Q000592:standards