When Ordering Fresh Grafts
The Northwest orthopedic community has long relied on Northwest Tissue Services to provide a safe and consistent supply of fresh allografts. As the demand for fresh allografts continues to increase, Northwest Tissue Services is committed to remaining in the forefront of providing these allografts on a custom order basis for our partner hospitals and physicians.
Unlike most frozen grafts, fresh grafts are customized and require advance planning. Fresh grafts may be condyles, menisci, tibial plateaus or other musculoskeletal tissues.
Special ordering and processing procedures are as follows:
- Surgeon provides NWTS with patient x-ray film, age, height, weight, and gender.
- Distribution staff measures the x-ray and coordinates procurement.
- A Special Tissue Order form is faxed to the surgeon for approval and good faith agreement to pay the processing fee.
- When a suitable donor is found, surgeon is called and provided donor information for evaluation and final approval.
- To expedite distribution, donor information is completed by the time of the microbiological assessment.
- When all donor and processing evaluation is complete and acceptable, surgeon is notified of estimated distribution date.
For complete Order Guide information or assistance with selecting available tissue types, please contact a Product Services Consultant at 1-800-858-2282 or download a copy of our Allograft Reference Manual.