The Significance of the Nucleic Acid Test (NAT) to Prevent Viral Contamination in Musculoskeletal Tissue Transplantation

Objective The present study aims to highlight the significance of the nucleic acid test (NAT) for musculoskeletal tissue donation and to compare the sensitivity of this test on the different available platforms. Method The present study is a retrospective survey in a human tissue bank database and an integrative literature review encompassing the last 10 years. The PubMed portal and the SCOPUS, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases were queried for articles. Results We found no specific studies on the use and sensitivity of NAT in braindead tissue donors. The information presented in the present study consists of specific contents intended for the Brazilian Blood Transfusion Network (Hemorrede Transfusional Nacional, in Portuguese) and internal retrospective data from a tissue bank located at a city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Conclusions The NAT is effective in blood samples from living patients. However, since biochemical reactions in braindead patients can be different, specific research, platforms, or both are crucial to tissue banks.