Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the operations of one regional musculoskeletal tissue bank

The study explores the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Musculoskeletal Tissue Bank (MSTB) in Milan, with a particular focus on tissue harvesting and its subsequent use in surgical procedures. A retrospective descriptive epidemiological analysis compared data from the pre-pandemic period (2018–2019) with that of the pandemic period (2020–2022), revealing a 24.8% reduction in tissue retrievals during the pandemic. Although there was a decrease in the number of eligible donors not collected (from 93 to 67, from 36.05 to 34.54%), this reduction was not statistically significant. The decline in tissue retrievals was due to decreased non-COVID-related pathologies, a lower number of potential donors from reduced accidents and increase in COVID-positive deaths. However, the MSTB successfully met tissue demands throughout this period. Notably, the reduction in retrievals at the MSTB was lower than national averages (− 24.8 vs. − 47.5%). Logistic regression analysis showed no significant organizational issues in donor collection. Despite the challenges, the MSTB remained resilient and adaptable, continuing its essential services. This underscores the broader impact of the pandemic on healthcare systems and emphasizes the importance of a flexible healthcare infrastructure during public health emergencies.