The human tissue squad. 1/2.

This programme explores the contribution of human tissue donation to medical science by following the work of staff at Liverpool’s National Human Tissue Bank. The programme begins by following the administrative process by specialist referral nurses ascertaining consent for tissue donation from a deceased’s next-of-kin. It also follows the physical assessment and extraction of tissues from a deceased male by two tissue specialists. Teenager, Morgan, is introduced, who has fibrous dysplasia and is awaiting the donation of a tibia. Tissue specialists exhibit a knee joint they have removed. They also go through the donor reconstruction process, including installing prosthetic replacements. A production specialist is shown decontaminating and irradiating tissue from a donated joint in preparation for frozen storage. A tissue specialist goes on a journey to collect tissue from a deceased male at Scarborough Hospital. 24-year-old Tom is introduced, who is awaiting a donation of a cornea. Two tissue specialists go on a journey to Warrington Hospital to carry out a skin tissue donation – one of the most in-demand donor tissue requests. At Southampton General Hospital, Tom undergoes a cornea transplant. Staff at the National Human Tissue Bank discuss the numerous tissues that are in low-supply. 4-year-old Layla, who suffers from a faulty pulmonary artery, is introduced and is awaiting a donation of a heart valve. A tissue specialist collects two highly-sought-after heart valves from a young male donor, and encounters some complications with striation. At Leeds General Infirmary, Layla undergoes an operation to have her faulty heart valve replaced with donor tissue. Two tissue specialists travel to the South of England to collect a tibia from a deceased female. At Birmingham Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, Morgan undergoes a long-awaited tibia transplant.