The Unusual Practice of Keeping and Transforming Human Tissue

Celebrity choices often capture public attention, and recently, Elton John’s decision to have jewelry crafted from his kneecaps has sparked curiosity. Following a double knee replacement in 2024, John requested to maintain his patellae and collaborated with jeweler Theo Fennell to transform them into wearable art.¹ This practice raises broader questions about what happens to surgically removed tissue and why individuals choose to preserve it.

Sentimental Keepsakes and Medical Waste

Elton John is not alone in wanting to retain parts of the body. Many people cherish baby teeth or a child’s first lost tooth as sentimental objects. Social media platforms also showcase individuals preserving removed tonsils, adenoids, an appendix, or a newborn’s umbilical stump.² Although some of these items are biologically inert keepsakes, others present medical and safety considerations.

Typically, tissue removed during surgery undergoes laboratory testing, known as pathology, to confirm diagnoses or check for disease. After testing, it’s generally disposed of as clinical waste due to potential biological risks. It is becoming less common for patients to keep surgically removed tissue.

Potential Risks of Handling Human Tissue

Handling human tissue can pose risks, particularly for healthcare professionals in operating theaters or pathology labs working with unfixed tissue. “Unfixed” tissue hasn’t been treated to preserve it and eliminate microbes. Healthcare staff using needles or sharp instruments are vulnerable to exposure to blood-borne viruses like hepatitis or HIV. Depending on the tissue source, other pathogens, such as respiratory microbes in lung tissue, may also be present.²

Specific Cases: Umbilical Stumps and the Placenta

Some keepsakes fall into a gray area between harmlessness and medical relevance. Parents sometimes keep the umbilical stump, which typically dries and falls off within a few weeks. However, improper care can lead to infection (omphalitis).²

The placenta, delivered after childbirth, is perhaps the most debated example of retained tissue. This temporary organ facilitates nutrient and waste exchange between mother and baby. Some individuals choose to keep and even consume the placenta, a practice called placentophagy, believing it contains nutrients beneficial for postpartum recovery.²

The Science Behind Placentophagy

The idea behind placentophagy stems from the belief that the placenta’s nourishing properties during pregnancy can aid maternal recovery. While pregnancy does lead to nutrient shifts, such as calcium transfer to the fetus, most nutrients are already passed to the baby before birth. Scientific evidence supporting the benefits of placentophagy is limited. Nutrients found in placental tissue are generally obtainable through a balanced diet. Animal studies have shown some positive effects, but these haven’t been consistently replicated in humans.²

Methods of Consumption and Associated Health Risks

Placenta consumption varies, including blending it raw into smoothies, cooking it into foods, steeping it in alcohol to create a tincture, or drying and encapsulating it.²

However, placentophagy carries potential health risks. The placenta contains high levels of estrogen, which can increase the risk of thromboembolism (blood clot formation). It also acts as a filter during pregnancy, accumulating heavy metals and other substances, potentially leading to higher concentrations in the placenta than elsewhere in the body.²

In 2017, the CDC reported a case of a baby experiencing recurrent infections with Group B Streptococcus, traced to contaminated placenta capsules. While processing reduces bacterial levels, it doesn’t eliminate them entirely. Consuming raw placenta carries even greater risks, including exposure to bacteria like E. Coli.²

A Balancing Act of Sentiment and Science

Whether transformed into jewelry, stored as a memento, or consumed, human tissue transitions from the personal and sentimental to the medical and biological once it leaves the body. The meanings people attach to it are diverse, but the scientific questions regarding safety, benefit, and risk remain constant.

¹ Elton John says he ‘startled’ doctor with request before kneecap surgery, Yahoo News.

² Elton John Turned Kneecaps Into Jewelry After Surgery, E! Online.