Ordering, Distribution and Storage Procedures

1. ORDERING ALLOGRAFTS

Perth Metropolitan Area Orders:

Phone PBTB on 9386 9300 stating:

1. Type and amount of allograft required
2. Hospital and Surgeon
3. Date and time of surgery
4. Recipient’s details – Name, Medical Record Number&  Rh group (if the recipient is a female considered being of child bearing age).

Obtain the recipient’s consent on form Form E Standard Recipient Consent which should be faxed preoperatively to 9386 9344. Graft will not be dispatched in the absence of this consent form.

Regional Western Australia Orders:

Phone PBTB on 08 9386 9300 stating:

1. Type and amount of allograft required
2. Hospital and Surgeon
3. Date and time of surgery
4. Recipient’s details – Name, Medical Record Number, & Rh group (if the recipient is a female considered being of child bearing age)
5. Hospital contact name and number
6. Delivery address

Obtain the recipient’s consent on Form E Standard Recipient Consent which should be faxed preoperatively to 08 9386 9344.

Interstate Orders:

Phone PBTB on (08) 9386 9300 stating:

1. Type and amount of allograft required
2. Hospital and Surgeon
3. Date and time of surgery
4. Recipient’s details – Name, Medical Record Number & Rh group (if the recipient is a female considered being of child bearing age)
5. Purchase order number – copy of PO must be faxed to (08) 9386 9344
6. Hospital contact name and number
7. Delivery address

Complete the form 3.2 Allograft order interstate/overseas which must be faxed to (08) 93869344.

Obtain the recipient’s consent on Form E Standard Recipient Consent which should be faxed preoperatively to (08) 9386 9344.

Overseas Orders:

Phone PBTB on  +61 8 9386 9300 stating;

1. Type and amount of allograft required
2. Hospital and Surgeon
3. Date and time of surgery
4. Recipient’s details – Name, Medical Record Number, address, Rh group (if the recipient is a female considered being of child bearing age)
5. Purchase order number
6. Hospital contact name and number
7. Delivery address

Complete the form 3.2 Allograft order interstate/overseas which must be faxed to+61 8 93869344.

Obtain the recipient’s consent on Form E Standard Recipient Consent which should be faxed preoperatively to +61 8 9386 9344.

2. DISTRIBUTION OF GRAFT

1) Graft is sent to the hospital as close to the time of surgery as possible. Courier charges for Perth Metropolitan areas are included in the graft fee, however air freight charges for all other areas are on charged to the Hospital. Australian Air Express is used for interstate distribution, EXEL /DHL Global Forwarding are used for overseas distribution.

2) Allograft is packed in dry ice. Refer to the Dry Ice Handling poster. Protective gloves
should be worn when handling dry ice.

3) For Perth Metropolitan Areas, upon receipt of the esky, do not remove the graft from the dry ice unless the surgeon is intent on using the graft.  Each package of graft will have a temperature indicator attached which will change colour indicating exposure to warmer temperatures. Graft cannot be returned to PBTB if the temperature indicator has changed colour.

4) For Regional WA, Interstate or Overseas consignments, upon receipt of the esky,  check the thermal exposure indicator contained within the esky. The temperature indicator will changed irreversibly from GREEN to RED if the temperature has warmed above -40°C. Advise PBTB if the indicator is red, or if you have any concerns.

3. STORAGE OF ALLOGRAFT

“Processed frozen or cryopreserved musculoskeletal tissues shall be stored at
temperatures of -40°C or colder. Temporary storage of processed frozen of
cryopreserved musculoskeletal tissue between -20°C and -40°C is limited to
six months total, and grafts stored at this temperature range must then be
transferred to -40°C or colder, used or discarded.” (AATB, p54, Standards for
Tissue Banking, May 2008).

1) Allograft must be stored securely at all times i.e. access restricted (e.g. locked freezer) and a system in place to prevent unauthorised or mistaken use.

2) Where the allograft is for immediate use e.g. within 24hours, it can either be;

left in the esky and the esky put into the freezer provided the freezer door is able to open slightly to allow CO2 to escape (refer to the Dry Ice information sheet), or;

top up the esky with dry ice and leave the allograft in the esky (dry ice is -78°C).

3)  Where the allograft has to be held for a longer period it must be held in a freezer that is colder than -20°C (up to six months) or colder than -40°C (toexpiry date).

4) The freezer should be alarm temperature monitored and connected to an essential power supply.

If maintenance of the required storage temperature cannot be demonstrated at all times the freezer is not suitable for allograft storage.

5) Except for the Perth Metropolitan Area, unused allograft cannot be returned to PBTB. The hospital is responsible for payment of the allograft whether it is implanted or discarded.