» Yet another debatable topic. Holding solutions are the solutions that the
» grafts are placed in to sort of “feed” the grafts, stabilize PH, and
» sometimes protect them from the elements. Some of the holding solutions
» are: Saline/BSS/DMEM/PLASMALYTE A/BSS with Glutathione/RINGERS LACTATE/
» just to name a few and there are others.
»
» Here I hope each representative doctor poster will ask or give input. This
» is one of my favorite topics because of the physiology aspect. Grafts have
» a shelf life of 12-24hrs depending on conditions. Here are other
» interestin facts of other transplantable tissue:
»
» Heart: Has to be beating in another chest within a strict 4 hrs after
» being cut out of the donor’s chest. Typically stored in UW cold solution.
» (UW is a solution made by the university of Wisconsin)
»
» Liver: Has to be in recipients chest within 12hrs. Stored in UW.
»
» Lungs: I forgot this one but I suspect similar to heart.
»
» Kidneys: Has 48hrs to be back to making urine. Is either cold storaged or
» placed on a pump that pumps fluid through it continuously until recipient
» found. UW is used
»
» Corneas: Can be held for two weeks in it’s holding solution called Optisol
» GS. The GS is gentamycin sulfate. Optisol GS is unique. Also what is used
» in eyebanking is BSS or balancing salt solution.
»
» Bones: Are stored in saline and then freezed at -72Celsius
»
» Saphenous veins: Are first injected with papavrin then stored in UW and
» are processed to be able to use almost indefinitely.
»
»
» Cooley has much research in this area too. Dr. Cooley’s words below:
» Dr. Cooley asked me to post this as it is his quote:
»
» “Hi Thomas
»
» Thanks for the email. I’m on vacation in Italy but maybe you could post
» this for me. By the way, I’m glad to hear you’re with Harris. He’s a great
» guy and there you can use all your skills.
»
» best,
»
» Jerry
»
» Holding solutions…Are they important?
»
»
» I have used alternative holding solutions for over ten years and have been
» very interested in this topic. The ‘standard’ holding solutions are normal
» saline and lactated ringers solution. Careful follicular unit surgery
» techniques and use of these standard solutions generally results in very
» good results. The bottom line is that for smaller cases and those lasting
» less than four to five hours, it may not matter.
»
» In my opinion, using alternative holding solutions could give small but
» significant improvement in graft survival for cases lasting longer than
» five hours or greater than 2000 grafts. In our clinic, we place the strip
» and ‘slivers’ in HypoThermosol at 4-10 degrees celsius. IMO, this provides
» the greatest protection for grafts outside the body. For dissected grafts
» waiting to be placed, we put the grafts in cell culture solution (DMEM
» with HEPES buffer) for protection at room temperature. This solution has
» glucose, amino acids, buffers to protect the tissue.
»
» Dr Carlos Uebel in Brazil has used a technique with patient derived plasma
» to create a gel, which is used to coat the grafts before placement. This
» has growth factors which supposedly speeds up the healing process and
» revascularization. This is not a ‘holding solution’. It is very
» interesting but should be considered experimental until more data is
» available.
»
» Jerry Cooley MD
» Charlotte North Carolina”
» _________________
» Thomas Ortiz, BS
» Hair Technologist
» James Harris, MD
wouldnt it be dangerous to coat the grafts in something before placement?