Establishing a composite tissue allograft registry.

Currently there is no international registry for composite tissue allografts (CTA), but there have been discussions about creating such a registry. This article discusses the advantages/benefits, and disadvantages of establishing an international composite tissue registry. It also looks at some of the potential pitfalls that may hinder the long-term survival of the effort and makes recommendations as to how to avoid them based on the experience of other registries. It is our belief that now is the time for the formation of a CTA registry. There is a strong consensus among the transplanting centers for its formation. If properly constructed, a scientific registry on CTA will be a true attribute to the scientific and medical communities.