Age - Tissue - deceased donors

Essential information

Obligatory
  1. Bone, structural:
    Must not donate if:
    1. Over 50 years of age.
    2. Under 17 years of age.

  2. Whole heart for tissue allografts:
    Must not donate if:
    1. Over 75 years of age.
    2. A child of less than 32 weeks gestation (see Children below).

  3. Costal cartilage:
    Must not donate if:
    1. Over 40 years of age.
    2. Under 10 years of age.

  4. Eyes:
    If the donor is under 3 years old, refer to Eye Bank and, if applicable, observe the testing for Children below.

  5. Skin:
    May be collected from a donor of any age but, if applicable, observe the testing for Children below.

  6. Tendons:
    Must not donate if:
    1. Over 60 years of age.
    2. Under 17 years of age.

  7. Children:
    1. Under 18 months old:
      If the mother would not be excluded by the Tissues safety entry and agrees to testing, and all her results are negative (for the infectious markers used for living tissue donors) and the markers of infection in the child are negative (as used for deceased donors), accept.
    2. Breastfed in the preceding 12 months:
      As in a above, but only accept if the breast milk has been provided exclusively by the mother.

Supporting information

See if relevant
Additional information

The biomechanical properties and cellularity of tissues vary with age.

The upper age limit for donation of whole hearts for allografts is 75; however, from donors aged over 70 it is advised that the allografts prepared are restricted to pulmonary vascular tissue. This is a precautionary approach, as non-valved grafts do not require the complex hydrodynamic properties that a valve graft must have.

Children, particularly those who are breastfed, may acquire infection risks from their mother or from the provider of breast milk if this has not been exclusively their mother.

Regulatory information

Part of this advice is a requirement of the EU Tissue and Cells Directive.

Reason for change:
To increase the upper age limit from 70 to 75 for whole heart donation for the preparation of allografts and to add additional information.
Version details:

TD-DSG Edition 203 Release 67 (6 October 2026)