HUMAN TISSUE RETRIEVAL AT POSTMORTEM FOR MUSCULOSKELETAL RESEARCH

Laboratory experimentation must attempt to reduce animal involvement, and human cadaveric tissue can be a suitable alternative; however, thi s tissue is a potential biohazard, with the transmission of human immu nodeficiency and hepatitis viruses presenting a very serious problem. In this paper we discuss how human tissue can be obtained at hospital post-mortem, and how it can then be stored and handled in a laboratory environment, focusing particularly on safety issues. We discuss the w ay in which the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Leicester Univers ity obtained human tissue for research into hip replacement. It is hop ed that the article will serve as a 'blue-print' for other related res earch projects, where human tissue is required for experimentation.