Bone Marrow Transplant
Bone marrow transplant (BMT), or hematopoietic stem cell transplant, is a procedure to replace diseased or damaged bone marrow with healthy stem cells.
It is commonly used for leukemia, lymphoma, aplastic anemia, and other hematologic disorders.
The transplant restores normal blood cell production, immunity, and overall health, offering a potential cure for otherwise life-threatening conditions.
Overview And Clinical Background
Bone marrow transplant replaces defective or destroyed marrow with healthy stem cells from a donor or patient (autologous).
Indications include leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and severe aplastic anemia.
Modern transplantation techniques, supportive care, and immunotherapy improve survival and reduce complications.
- Indication: Hematologic malignancies, bone marrow failure, or severe immune disorders.
- Donor types include autologous, allogeneic related, or allogeneic unrelated.
- Surgical goal: Restore normal hematopoiesis and immune function to the patient.
Symptoms, Signs And Presentation
Patients may present with fatigue, frequent infections, bruising, or anemia.
Severity and disease type determine urgency for transplant.
- Common symptoms: Weakness, pallor, recurrent infections, and easy bruising or bleeding.
- Reduced blood cell counts and abnormal lab markers.
- Red flag: Rapid deterioration, high risk of infection, or uncontrolled bleeding.
Diagnosis Methods And Investigations
Hematologic Evaluation And Compatibility Testing
Assessment includes blood counts, bone marrow biopsy, cytogenetics, and donor HLA matching.
Comprehensive evaluation ensures safe transplantation and graft success.
- Lab tests: Complete blood count, bone marrow aspirate, cytogenetic and molecular studies.
- Donor matching: HLA typing and crossmatch to ensure compatibility.
- Organ function tests evaluate readiness for transplant conditioning regimen.
Treatment Options And Surgical Techniques
BMT is preceded by conditioning with chemotherapy and/or radiation to eradicate diseased marrow.
Stem cells are then infused intravenously to repopulate the bone marrow.
- Conservative: Supportive care with transfusions, antibiotics, and immunotherapy may manage symptoms temporarily.
- Autologous transplant: Patient's own stem cells are harvested, preserved, and re-infused post-conditioning.
- Allogeneic transplant uses donor stem cells to establish new marrow and immune function.
Recovery, Risks And Prognosis
Recovery involves close monitoring for graft-versus-host disease, infection, and organ function.
Full marrow recovery may take weeks to months.
Outcomes depend on disease type, donor match, and supportive care.
Why Choose Us
CureU Healthcare offers experienced transplant hematologists, advanced facilities, and personalized post-transplant care.
Our multidisciplinary approach ensures optimal outcomes and patient safety.
Conclusion
Bone marrow transplant restores blood and immune function in patients with hematologic disorders.
With expert care, patients achieve improved survival and long-term health.
