This book is a comprehensive guide for all tissue bank operators to screen, procure and process amniotic membrane for clinical application.The amnion comes close to being the ideal biological membrane or dressing - readily available, inexpensive to procure and process. Its basic science is discussed in detail - anatomy, biological and biomechanical properties.It can be procured from the placenta in normal vaginal deliveries and from Caesarean Sections. Processing is by freeze-drying or by air-drying process with sterilisation using gamma irradiation.The product has low antigenicity, has anti-microbial properties with ability to enhance epithelisation with marked relief of pain. It is useful as a dressing for wounds - flap wounds, burn wounds, injury wounds, diabetic ulcers, leprous ulcers and post-surgery wounds and post-radiation wounds. It is also used as a biological scaffold for cells in tissue engineering. Its ophthalmic applications include treatment of corneal ulcers and conjunctival tumours. Oral uses include gingiva depigmentation and periodontal regeneration.

This book is written as a comprehensive guide for all tissue bank operators to procure and process bone and soft tissue allografts of highest quality standards for safe tissue transplantation practice in patients who require musculoskeletal tissue allograft transplantation. This comprehensive guide includes donor selection criteria, aseptic procurement techniques, laboratory testing and processing of grafts by deep freezing or freeze drying. It also includes sterilization of tissue grafts using gamma irradiation. Quality controls of tissue grafts are discussed in depth. The clinical transplantation of bone and soft tissue allografts is also discussed, with special consideration given to potential complications. Principles of sterile technique in the operating theater are described. The book also incorporates the basic sciences of tissue banking including anatomy, biomechanics, microbiology and immunology. It also covers radiation science so that the reader can better understand radiation sterilization of tissue grafts. Included in the book is a guide for public awareness programmes, radiation code of practice and general standards for tissue banking as recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency.