Bone Marrow Transplant

Stem cells produce red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. In some cases, stem cells in your bone marrow may not be functioning well or need to be destroyed to help treat a disease. If this happens, you will need new stem cells.

During this procedure, healthy stem cells are taken from a donor's:

• Bone marrow (bone marrow transplant or BMT)
• Blood (peripheral blood stem cell or PBSC)

The stem cells will be injected into your vein. The new cells travel through the bloodstream to your bone cavities. It may take about a month for the donor stem cells in the bone marrow to begin to function fully. If the transplant is successful, new bone marrow cells will produce healthy red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

Stem cell transplantation may be done using:

• Stem cells that were taken from your own bone marrow or blood and stored
• Stem cells from a donor

A note on how Bone Marrow Transplant would be done...
Prior to procedure the donor will be carefully tested to check for diseases. Both you and the donor will be tested to ensure that your tissues are compatible. In order for the transplant to be successful, certain markers, called HLS types, on the blood cells and bone marrow cells must match.

As the recipient, you will be given medicines to suppress your immune system. This is to prevent your body from rejecting the donor stem cells. In the weeks prior to the transplant, you may have to have:

• Chemotherapy
• Radiation therapy

This process is called "conditioning." It will rid the body of diseased cells and clear the bone marrow cavities for the new bone marrow.

	If the stem cells will be from the donor's bone marrow (BMT), the doctor will clean an area of the donor's hip. A hollow needle and syringe will be used to remove the bone marrow.   The doctor will make several small punctures. This is to harvest enough bone marrow for the transplant (1-2 quarts). Lastly, the wounds will be covered with bandages.

If the stem cells will be from the donor's blood (PBSC), the doctor will stick a needle in the donor's large vein or veins in the arms. A machine will receive blood from the vein. This machine will spin the blood so that the stem cells are concentrated. The rest of the blood will be given back to the donor. The doctor will cover the puncture wounds with bandages. This procedure may require more than one blood donation. The donor may also be required to take pills that cause more stem cells from the bone marrow to go into the blood.

The donated stem cells will be filtered. Next, the doctor will administer the cells through a small, flexible tube, called a catheter, into one of your large veins.

Immediately after procedure the donor will recover quickly. You, the recipient, will be placed in isolation. This is to avoid infection until the new stem cells in the bone marrow begin to produce infection-fighting cells.

How Long Will It Take?

• Donor

    - BMT—About 30 minutes

    - PBSC—several hours

• Recipient—several hours

Average Hospital Stay

• Donor

    - For BMT—overnight

    - For PBSC—several donations (each donation lasts a couple of hours)

• Recipient—1-2 months

Possible Complications
Complications are rare, but no procedure is completely free of risk. A list of possible complications may include infection—until the donor blood-forming cells begin to function, rejection of the donor stem cells. However stem cell transplant is usually avoided if you have disease of the heart, lungs, liver, or kidneys.

Heal Wheel India’s role in your surgical trip …
A team of well trained professionals would take care of all your post operative care. You would be given medicines that keep your immune system low to decrease the chance of transplant rejection, antibiotics to prevent infection and platelets, plasma, and red blood cell transfusions to prevent bleeding and anemia. You may have to undergo frequent blood tests to monitor whether the new stem cells in the bone marrow are taking hold or being rejected

Heal & Wheel understands your emotional needs just as a patient does. Thus what we essentially provide is peace of mind. With significant experience and expertise in the medical tourism industry, Heal and Wheel ensures you best quality medical treatment at most competitive prices. We have tied up with the best in the Indian healthcare industry and deal only with internationally reputed experienced doctors with brilliant case history and clean record of accomplishment.

We understand that security and hygiene are your utmost concerns. We have taken measures to ensure you most hygienic and secure environs while you are in India. Heal and wheel is also famous for its excellent pre and post treatment follow up services. We keep all your information confidential while closely following HIPAA standards. We are in constant communication with your doctor in your native land, before and after your surgery in India.