Bone Marrow Transplant Procedure: All Details What Need To Know

A bone marrow transplant procedure is a complex medical procedure that replaces damaged or diseased bone marrow with healthy bone marrow. Bone marrow is the spongy tissue found inside bones, responsible for producing blood cells. When a person's bone marrow is damaged or destroyed, it can no longer produce enough healthy blood cells, leading to serious health problems.

BMT Used For 

This procedure offers hope to individuals suffering from various conditions like:

• Leukemia: A type of cancer that affects blood cells.
• Lymphoma: Cancer that affects the lymphatic system.
• Aplastic anemia: A condition where the body stops producing enough new blood cells.
• Myelodysplastic syndromes: A group of disorders that affect the production of blood cells.
• Severe immune deficiencies: Conditions where the immune system is weakened.
• Thalassemia: A genetic disorder that affects the production of hemoglobin.

Types of Bone Marrow Transplants

There are two forms of bone marrow transplants such as Autologous transplant: In this kind of procedure, the patient receives his or her bone marrow. Bone marrow is harvested from the patient before chemotherapy or radiation treatment and transfused back into the patient after such treatment. Allogeneic transplant: The patient gets bone marrow from a donor of this type. The donor can be a family member (sibling, parent), an unrelated matched donor, or an unrelated matched donor from a cord blood bank.

The Bone Marrow Transplant Process Steps

The bone marrow transplant process involves several stages. The stages in this process include:

• Matching and Searching for Donor: A search for an eligible donor is conducted for allogeneic transplants via thorough tests that include tissue typing to identify compatible donors. 
• Preparation of Donor: The donor undergoes a procedure for bone marrow harvest. This harvest can be achieved through Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy (needle insertion into the pelvic bone for extraction of bone marrow) and Peripheral blood stem cell collection (the donor is given medications to stimulate stem cell production in the bloodstream. These stem cells are collected through a process similar to blood donation.)
• Recipient Preparation: The recipient goes through conditioning before transplantation, which usually involves very high dose-chemo or radiotherapy to destroy the diseased bone marrow and enable the acceptance of new bone marrow into the body.
• Transplantation: Feeding healthy bone marrow (either that from the patient or the donor) into the recipient via an intravenous line.
• Engraftment: Post-transplant, a period of acceptance of the new bone marrow by the body becomes necessary. This is known as engraftment. 
• Recovery: The recovery process following bone marrow transplantation is often long and arduous. Some of the effects and side effects on the recipient during this period include: Infection (caused due to an immune deficiency). Graft versus Host diseases (GVHD), fatigue, and sore mouths. Due to chemotherapy and radiation therapy nausea and vomiting side effects might arise.

Risks and Complications

These transplant processes can bring serious surgical risks and complications: 

• An infection will be considered the hardest risk due to its very compromised immune system. 
• Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD): A serious complication for any allogeneic transplant.
• Organ damage is susceptible by chemotherapeutic and radiotherapeutic means to the heart, lungs, and kidneys.
• Decreased platelet count leads to an increase in the risk of bleeding.
• The underlying disease may return after the transplant.

Preparing for a Bone Marrow Transplant

Preparing for a bone marrow transplant can be emotionally and physically challenging. Here are some important considerations like selecting a reputable transplant center with skilled physicians and a committed team. Review risks, benefits, and side effects with the medical team. The recipient must stay in the hospital post-transplant for weeks. Plan with the medical team for managing side effects. Utilize support groups for emotional and psychological assistance during the transplant.

Living After a Bone Marrow Transplant

Life after a bone marrow transplant requires ongoing medical care and adjustments to daily life.

• The recipient will need regular checkups to monitor their health and manage potential complications.
• The recipient may need to take medications long-term to prevent rejection and manage side effects.
• The recipient may need to make lifestyle changes, such as avoiding large crowds and unpasteurized foods, to reduce the risk of infection.
• Maintaining emotional and social well-being is crucial during the recovery process.

Conclusion:

Bone marrow transplant is the last resort for many people suffering from blood disorders that threaten their lives. While it is a procedure with considerable risks and requires hacking one's life to recover, it can sometimes make the quality of life more bearable or, in some cases, save lives. If you or some specific people you know are waiting to learn whether a diagnosis may lead to a bone marrow transplant, your first step should involve consulting a qualified medical team and discussing all treatment options with them.

For more information visit the official site:: https://www.edhacare.com/treatments/organ-transplant/bone-marrow