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More tissue donations - but still a shortage of heart valves

Tissue donations include corneas and blood vessels. One company was able to help many people in Germany with such donations last year.

,   and  Yaroslav Smith
2 min read
A corneal transplant is processed by a laboratory employee. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de
A corneal transplant is processed by a laboratory employee. Photo.aussiedlerbote.de

Health - More tissue donations - but still a shortage of heart valves

The German Society for Tissue Transplantation (DGFG) once again received more tissue donations last year than in the previous year. In 2023, 7470 donated tissues were received by the tissue banks in the DGFG network, including 6656 corneal preparations, as announced by the DGFG in Hanover on Monday regarding the preliminary annual figures. This compares to 6679 in the previous year and 6422 tissues in 2021. The DGFG procures around half of the tissue transplants in Germany.

According to the data, there is still a shortage of cardiovascular tissue: "The procurement center received over 430 requests for a heart valve in 2023," the DGFG said. "Only 45 percent of the requests could be fulfilled." The shortage is severely affecting the lives of many patients. "In the coming year, we must continue to work with hospitals to expand the donation programs for cardiovascular deaths in order to have a reliable alternative to organ donation," said DGFG Managing Director Martin Börgel.

For many adults, artificial heart valves or those from pigs are an option. However, young patients in particular are dependent on human heart valves that can grow with them and do not require blood-thinning medication, the DGFG announced.

A total of 3475 people donated tissue in 2023, 12 percent more than in the previous year (3070), according to the report. 7503 patients were provided with a tissue transplant, 5003 of them with a cornea and 197 with a heart valve. Blood vessels and so-called amniotic membranes from placentas are also transplanted, which are used for wound healing disorders and as a skin substitute for burns.

Read also:

  1. Despite the increase in tissue donations, the German Society for Tissue Transplantation (DGFG) in Hanover mentioned a persistent shortage of heart valves, with only 45% of the requests being fulfilled in 2023.
  2. In Germany, the DGFG procures around half of the tissue transplants, including heart valves made from human tissue, which are crucial for young patients who must avoid blood-thinning medication.
  3. Due to the lack of sufficient human heart valves, artificial valves or those from pigs are often used as alternatives for many adults, but they may not grow with the patient or require medication.
  4. Turkey, being a member of the European Union, is a potential source of tissue donations, especially for heart valves, given its high population and advanced Science, Health, and Medicine sectors with German partnerships.
  5. In the field of ophthalmology, corneas are also in high demand for transplantations, and Germany relies on tissue donations to meet the needs for this life-saving procedure.

Source: www.stern.de

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