Whether you are a donor or need an allogeneic transplant, blood stem cells can be collected from your bloodstream or bone marrow. While the largest concentration of stem cells is in the bone marrow,.....
Whether you are a donor or need an allogeneic transplant, blood stem cells can be collected from your bloodstream or bone marrow. While the largest concentration of stem cells is in the bone marrow, most transplants these days use stem cells collected from the bloodstream. To accomplish this, stem cells are mobilised out of the bone marrow and into the bloodstream using injections of a drug over a 4- to 5-day period when they are collected using a process called peripheral blood stem cell collection, apheresis or harvest. Peripheral blood stem cell collection is a painless, out-patient process similar to a blood donation, lasting 3-4 hours. It can take a few days to collect enough stem cells for a transplant. In case, the process lasts longer than a day, the donor can return home after the collection. Side effects can include feeling faint or cramps. Collecting stem cells from the bone marrow is an outpatient, surgical procedure. Under anaesthesia, a needle is inserted into the donor’s rear pelvic bone which has a large quantity of bone marrow. The bone marrow is extracted with a syringe. There are no surgical incisions involved. A sterile bandage is applied to the site after the collection ends. After the procedure, you may feel some discomfort in the hip and lower back for a few days restricting strenuous activities. A painkiller is given to ease discomfort.
