A: Tissue donation has far-reaching, positive effects. A single donor can help save lives or dramatically improve the quality of life for as many as 100 patients in a variety of ways. Skin transplants enable burn victims to heal faster. Heart valves can save the lives of younger children. The gift of bone and connective tissues helps individuals with various orthopedic and neurosurgical conditions. These tissues will be used in a variety of spine, joint and leg surgeries such as hip replacement, knee reconstruction and spinal fusion. Vein tissue is used to restore circulation in heart bypass surgeries and to avoid leg amputation for people suffering from poor circulation. Overall, tissue transplants have a very high success rate.