Physical examination of the potential tissue donor, what do European tissue banks do?

According to the EU Directive 2006/17/EC, European tissue banks are required to perform a physical examination on every potential tissue donor. The directive itself, however, does not specify the content of this examination. The aim of this study was to investigate the current practice of physical examination in European tissue banks. A questionnaire was drawn up and sent to the members of the European Association of Tissue Banks and the European Eye Bank Association. Information was gathered on the type of procurement; the personnel involved (number, educational background and training); the content of physical examination; the problems encountered; and the outcome of the performed physical examinations. Completed questionnaires were received from 32 European tissue banks (response rate of 35%). Of these tissue banks, 73% perform a physical examination. The most frequently encountered problems are the inability to open the mouth due to rigor mortis, the inability to examine the total body surface and the incapacity to palpate the lymph nodes. Tissue banks reject potential donors, based on the results of the physical examination in 5% of cases (median rejection rate). Twenty-seven percent of the responding tissue banks do not perform a physical examination. This was most often due to a lack of adequate educational background and/or a lack of appropriate training.