Extending the Time After Death: A Safe Way to Expand Tendon Donations

The need for tendon grafts is rising, and one way to meet this demand could be to allow more time between a person’s death and the harvest of their tendons. Researchers tested how letting tendons sit for up to 36 hours after death, and at different temperatures, affects their safety and quality. They found that the tissues stayed free from harmful bacteria even after long warm periods, so contamination is not a concern. The chemical marker that shows how much cartilage‑like material the tendon has stayed at normal levels, even after extended time.However, when tendons were left warm for long periods, the amount of strong protein called collagen fell noticeably. Cooling the tendons helped keep this protein intact for an extra 12 hours beyond the usual limit. Because of the reduced collagen, warm tendons became more watery and porous, which could change how they feel when used in surgery. Since the tissues remained safe and mechanically sound, the study suggests that letting tendons sit up to 12 hours longer—especially if kept cool—could increase the number of usable donations.