This type of donated tissue includes ligaments, tendons, cartilage and fascia. It is used to repair damaged connective tissue in a patient's body. Physicians use donated connective tissue to help repair knee and shoulder joints to restore mobility. Patients who have undergone brain surgery may receive donated fascia to replace tissue layers around the brain. Fascia can also be used in reconstruction of eyelid muscles.
Cartilage is used in surgery to repair congenital and traumatic deformities of the face.
It helps restore normal facial appearance. Tendons and other soft tissues are used in surgical procedures to repair congenital defects and traumatic deformities due to injury. Return to the Top Heart Valves Heart valve transplants are very common in children born with defective hearts. Successful transplantation of human heart valves has been performed for over 30 years in medical facilities throughout the world. Human cryopreserved heart valves are implanted in about 1,800 patients per year.