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Review
. 2023 Sep;24(3):613-625.
doi: 10.1007/s10561-022-10063-z. Epub 2023 Jan 3.

Vascular allografts for clinical application in Europe: assessment of 30 years of experience with vascular tissue banking in Brussels

Ramadan Jashari  1 , Vanessa Bouzet  2 , Maria-Josee Alcaraz Blanco  2 , Alison Oleffe  2 , Emilie Lecocq  2 , Stefano Mastrobuoni  2   3
Affiliations
Review

Vascular allografts for clinical application in Europe: assessment of 30 years of experience with vascular tissue banking in Brussels

Ramadan Jashari et al. Cell Tissue Bank. 2023 Sep.

Abstract

Vascular tissue banking has been carried out in Brussels for over 30 years in compliance with EU and Swiss tissue banking regulations. A total of 2.765 vascular tissue donations were performed in Belgian, French, Netherlands and Suisse transplant centres: 547(20%), 1.013(37%) and 1.205(43%) during the first, second and third periods, respectively. 85% and 18% increase in donations during the second and third decades compared to previous one, were remarkable. Of the 7.066 evaluated vascular tissues, 2.407(227, 921 and 1.259) were discarded (34.1%), whereas 4.659(523, 1.861 and 2.275) accepted (65.9%) during the respective period. Of the 92 donated veins, 44(47.8%) were discarded and 48(52.2%) accepted. Allografts available for clinical application were stored in vapours of liquid nitrogen. A total of 4.636 allografts were delivered and transplanted for cases of infection (58%), critical limb ischaemia (16%) and congenital cardiac surgery (15%). Thirty veins were implanted. The progressive increases in donations of 20%, 37% and 43% and in transplantations of 20.8%, 34.6% and 45% during the first, second and third periods, respectively, were remarkable. Complications were reported after transplantation and these included acute rejection of two femoral arteries one month after transplantation. We conclude that the donation and transplantation of cryopreserved vascular allografts was stable with a progressive increase over time. Allografts were used predominantly for the treatment of infection, limb salvage for critical ischaemia and for neonates and infants with congenital cardiac malformation. Immune related rejection was observed. This should be a subject of future investigation.

Keywords: Allograft; Arteries; Cardiovascular tissue banking; Cryopreservation; Donation; Transplantation; Veins.

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Conflict of interest statement

R. Jashari was Medical Director until June 30th 2021 and S. Mastrobuoni is the current Medical Director of EHB.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
a Donnation of vessels distributed per decade. b Proportion of donation of vessels per decade (1992–2021)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Accepted versus discarded vessels during processing. 1992–2001: 30.3% discarded and 69.7% accepted; 2002–2011: 33.1% discarded and 66.9% accepted; 2012–2021: 35.6% discarded and 64.4% accepted
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
a Implantation of vascular allografts per decade: progressive increase of implanted vessels per decade. b Proportion of implanted vessels per decade
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Implantation per type of allograft. AA: ascending thoracic aorta; AD: descending thoracic aorta; ABif: aortic bifurcation; IA: ilic artery; FA: femoral artery; nVPC: non valvular pulmonary conduit
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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