The vascular tissue collected include the saphenous vein, the abdominal aorta in line with the iliac bifurcation, the iliac arteries, the thoracic aorta, and other portions of the abdominal aorta. Arteries are harvested from cadaveric donors, while saphenous veins may also be obtained from living donors (during saphenectomy procedures).

The vascular tissues are decontaminated in antibiotic solution before processing, then cryopreserved and stored in vapor-phase liquid nitrogen. They offer advantages over the use of synthetic grafts in that they have a greater resistance to infection, optimal hemodynamic properties, and a minimal immunogenicity and thrombogenicity.

They can be used for:

• replacing infected vascular patches;
• arteriovenous fistulas in patients on hemodialysis;
• revascularization for limb salvage purposes;
• by-passes.