AlloSource and Partners Provide Life-Saving Burn Treatment to Haitian Earthquake Survivors

Tissue donation has helped save the lives of victims of the humanitarian crisis

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Feb 11, 2010, 09:00 ET

CENTENNIAL, Colo., Feb. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- AlloSource, one of the nation's largest non-profit providers of skin, bone and soft tissue allografts for use in surgical procedures and the world's largest processor of live cellular bone growth substitutes, has mobilized an effort to supply large amounts of allograft skin, used to treat and heal severe burns, to American hospitals treating victims of Haiti's devastating earthquakes. AlloSource and its network of organ procurement agencies have sent more than 100,000 square centimeters of skin, enough to treat an initial nine patients.

Allograft skin is procured from deceased tissue donors. It is cleaned and prepared by accredited tissue banks such as AlloSource and used to cover burns and wounds. Although synthetic substitutes can also be used, allograft skin is considered by burn surgeons as the gold standard in burn treatment because it helps to keep out infection and promotes the regeneration of underlying tissue.

"As one of the largest suppliers of allograft skin for burn victims in the nation, helping in a crisis is central to our mission as an organization," said Thomas Cycyota, AlloSource President and CEO. "None of this could have been possible without the courageous gifts from donors and their families, the incredible dedication of our staff and the commitment of our organ procurement agency partners, who worked quickly and diligently to get the skin needed. While we grieve the many lives lost in Haiti, we are heartened that gifts from donors in the United States have saved the lives of many victims of the calamity."

In the United States nearly 80 million people chose to be donors. More than one million tissue allografts are transplanted each year for a variety of life-saving and life-enhancing surgeries: bone grafts for patients whose bones have degenerated from cancer, cornea transplants to help restore sight, heart valves to replace damaged heart tissue, skin grafts to save the lives of burn victims, and tendon, meniscus and soft tissue replacements to help people lead more active lives. One tissue donor can save or improve the lives of up to 60 people and AlloSource and its partners are committed to supporting education to ensure that everyone commits to being an organ and tissue donor. Americans can register to become organ and tissue donors at http://www.donatelife.net.

About AlloSource

AlloSource delivers powerful possibilities to the medical community, patients and donor families. AlloSource is a non-profit company that offers more than 200 precise bone, skin, soft-tissue and custom-machined allografts for use in a host of life-saving and life-enhancing medical procedures. As the world's leader in fresh cartilage tissue used for joint repair and skin allografts to heal severe burns, AlloSource has become one of the largest and most respected tissue networks in the country. It is also the world's largest processor of live cellular bone growth substitutes. AlloSource delivers unparalleled expertise and responsive customer service to its growing network of surgeons, partners and the country's most reputable organ procurement organizations. AlloSource is accredited by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) and is headquartered in Centennial, CO. For more information, visit www.allosource.org.

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Thomas Cycyota

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SOURCE AlloSource