Bone Marrow Transplant

Patients are admitted in hospitals for the procedures. For more details and free consultation, you can fill in the inquiry form on our website. All your medical queries will be answered.

• The health care provider will take the patient's medical history and carry out a physical exam
• Several tests will be done before treatment begins
• Before the transplant, the patient will have catheters inserted into a blood vessel to receive treatments and fluids
• The doctor or nurse will likely discuss the emotional stress of having a bone marrow transplant and make the patient meet with a mental health counsellor
• Arrange medical leave from work

There are three kinds of Bone Marrow Transplants:

Autologous bone marrow transplant: The term 'auto' means self. Stem cells are removed from your body before you receive high-dose chemotherapy or radiation treatment. After high-dose chemotherapy or radiation treatments, your stems cells are put back in your body to regenerate normal blood cells.

Allogeneic bone marrow transplant: The term 'allo' means other. Stem cells are removed from another person, called a donor. Most times, the donor's genes must at least partly match your genes. A sibling is most likely to be a good match. Sometimes other relatives are good matches.

Umbilical cord blood transplant: This is a type of allogeneic transplant. Stem cells are removed from a newborn baby's umbilical cord right after birth. Umbilical cord blood cells are very immature so there is less of a need for matching.

A Bone Marrow Transplant is usually done in a hospital or medical centre that specializes in such treatment. Depending on the treatment and where it is done, all or part of an autologous or allogeneic transplant may be done as an outpatient. How long you stay in the hospital depends on how much chemotherapy or radiation you received, the type of transplant and your medical centre's procedures. While you are in the hospital, you will be isolated because of the increased risk of infection. Receive medications to prevent or treat infections, including antibiotics, antifungals, and antiviral drugs. The patient might need many blood transfusions. He or she will be fed through a vein (IV) until you can eat by mouth and stomach side effects and mouth sores have gone away. Be given medications to prevent graft- versus-host disease.

• Why are Bone Marrow Transplants needed?

Bone marrow transplants are often needed to treat conditions that damage bone marrow, such as severe bone marrow failure, Leukaemia-cancer of the white blood cells, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancer of the lymphatic system and certain genetic blood and immune system disorders-such as sickle cell anaemia, thalassaemia and some others.

• What does a Bone Marrow Transplant involve?

A Bone Marrow Transplant includes transferring healthy bone marrow stem cells from one person to another person. There are cases wherein it may be possible to use your own bone marrow. A bone marrow transplant has five stages: physical examination-to assess the general health, harvesting-the process of obtaining the stem cells, conditioning-getting ready for the transplant, transplanting the stem cells and recovery period-monitoring the patient closely.

• Who can have a Bone Marrow Transplant?

The right candidate for bone marrow transplant should be in good health. Stem Cells are available from a sibling or another family member. If the related condition isn't working for other forms of treatment, it would respond to a transplant and could also get worse without one.

• What are the risks?

Bone marrow transplants are complex procedures with major risks. Some of them are chest pain, chills, drop in blood pressure, fever, flushing, headache, nausea, pain, shortness of breath, Anemia, bleeding in the lungs, intestines and brain.