Final answer:
Technological advancements have extended the viable storage time for cardiac tissues to up to 12 hours, allowing for better preservation and monitoring during transportation prior to transplantation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The storage conditions for commonly transplanted human tissues such as cardiac and vascular are crucial to maintaining their viability for transplantation. Traditional methods allowed a four-hour window for hearts to be transplanted, during which the hearts were placed on ice in coolers and had no guarantee of function after transplantation. However, with advances in medical technology, such as the development of the Organ Care System by TransMedic, a 'heart in a box' can now maintain donated hearts in a near-physiologic state. This system offers short-term temperature stability by providing controlled hypothermia and a means of oxygenation to the heart, extending the time a heart can remain healthy up to 12 hours. This technological innovation also allows for transport over longer distances and the ability to directly monitor the heart's condition.
The commonly transplanted human tissue, such as cardiac and vascular tissue, is stored at a temperature range of -20 to 4-10 °C. This temperature range is necessary to maintain the viability and integrity of the tissue during storage and transportation. Extreme temperature conditions, such as freezing or high temperatures, can damage the tissue and render it unusable for transplantation.