What is the tissue recovery guideline if the donor cannot be refrigerated?

The guideline for tissue recovery when the donor cannot be refrigerated establishes that the recovery must occur within 12 hours of asystole. This timeframe is critical because tissue quality deteriorates rapidly when not maintained at appropriate temperatures.

In the absence of refrigeration, tissues are at risk of undergoing changes that can impair their viability and suitability for transplant. Asystole, which is the absence of cardiac activity, marks the point at which tissues begin to lose their integrity due to the lack of oxygen and circulating blood. Therefore, a 12-hour window is established to ensure that the tissues can be recovered while they are still in good enough condition for transplantation.

Other timeframes, such as 6 hours, 24 hours, or 48 hours, would not align with the critical requirement of preserving tissue integrity, especially in the absence of refrigeration. This helps clarify why a maximum of 12 hours is the appropriate guideline for tissue recovery in this scenario.