The Bone Marrow transplant or Stem Cell transplant is a surgery done to replace your damaged bone marrow cells with healthy bone marrow stem cells. The flexible tissue inside our bones is called bone.....
The Bone Marrow transplant or Stem Cell transplant is a surgery done to replace your damaged bone marrow cells with healthy bone marrow stem cells. The flexible tissue inside our bones is called bone marrow, wherein stem cells are present.
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Steps to take before the treatment
Our doctors at Medanta will prepare you thoroughly for the treatment. You may have to take a physical examination, and several tests to check your blood and the status of other organs in your body. The next step is to find the source of new blood stem cells that matches yours.
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What happens during the treatment?
The doctor inserts a thin tube into the large vein and extracts stem cells from it. The patient will be required to wear the tube until the transplant process is complete. Under a donor transplant, the donor will be given medication to strengthen the white blood cell count, by transferring stem cells from bone marrow into blood. An IV (intravenous) line is used to take the blood of the donor. White cells are then removed to be given to the patient. The catheter is used to put the separated white blood cells into the patient's body. In another donor procedure, the donor is given general anaesthesia, and the bone marrow is removed from the hip bones.
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After Bone Marrow Transplant
The patient has to spend several weeks or months in the hospital after the treatment, depending upon his recovery rate. Your doctor may prescribe you a few medications to prevent infections and you may also need blood transfusion.
Bone Marrow transplant or stem cells transplant is a far-reaching medical process that has many advantages. But, unlike any treatment, it has a few risks associated with it which a patient must be aware of.
The advantages of Bone Marrow transplant treatment are:
- The treatment helps to recharge the body with new and healthy blood cells after radiation therapy.
- Decreased risk of graft rejection.
- New cells also destroy any remaining cancer cells.
The risks associated with Bone Marrow transplant are:
- Stem cell failure.
- Organ damage.
- Graft-versus-host disease.
- Uncontrolled bleeding.
- Infertility.
- Reaction to anaesthesia.
- Death.
The limitations of Bone Marrow or Stem Cell transplant are:
- Cancer can recur.
- New cancers can form.
