Bone marrow transplantation is a fairly new medical procedure, thanks to which it is possible to achieve healing in pathologies previously considered incurable, fatal. Today, transplantation of this organ saves or, at least, prolongs thousands of lives each year. Thus, bone marrow transplantation is indicated for lymphoma and other malignant blood diseases, for severe forms of anemia, for oncological diseases of various organs with a significant decrease in the body's immune forces, in autoimmune pathologies, etc. We will learn in more detail how the bone marrow transplant is going on, what to expect from this procedure for the patient and donor.
How are bone marrow transplants done?
The first procedure of bone marrow transplantation with a positive result was carried out in 1968 in the USA. Since then, the methods of transplantation have been improved, which made it possible to expand the range of patients for whom such an operation is possible, to reduce the risk of unwanted effects.
The bone marrow is a "liquid" organ that performs hematopoietic functions, and contains a large number of stem cells that are capable of renewal. It is through the introduction of healthy human stem cells into the patient's body that it is possible to restore the bone marrow that is not working. The procedure of transplantation somewhat resembles an intravenous infusion and takes about an hour. Longer and more complex are the preparatory period and the postoperative stage of engrafting the transplanted organ.
First of all, it is important to find a donor with the most suitable genetically bone marrow, for testing which special blood tests are carried out. As a rule, the nearest relatives of the patient (brother, sister) or non-related people with the most suitable material who are registered in the international registry of bone marrow donors act as donors. Sometimes the donor is the patient himself during the remission of the disease.
Prior to the transplant procedure, the patient undergoes numerous tests to assess his physical condition, which must correspond to certain parameters that allow the operation to be performed. Further, the patient's own bone marrow cells are destroyed by means of chemotherapy and radiotherapy .
A couple of days after this, a special catheter is inserted into the large vein of the neck, through which the donor material will be introduced into the body, as well as medications. The transplant procedure is carried out not in the operating room, but in the ordinary ward. Stem cells entered into the bloodstream of the patient enter the bone, where they begin to settle down and share.
Then comes the most difficult period - adaptation and expectation, which can take 2-4 weeks. All this time the patient needs to take drugs that reduce the risk of rejection of the transplanted bone marrow, as well as antibiotics to prevent infectious pathologies. In addition, blood transfusions are performed, and for the patient
How is the bone marrow transplant for a donor?
The donor's bone marrow is removed under general anesthesia . The material, mixed with blood, is withdrawn through punctures in the pelvic and femur bones. The amount of such a mixture can be from 950 to 2000 ml. After the procedure of sampling of the bone marrow, pain remains in the puncture area for some time, comparable with the sensations after the impact or fall. The pain is easily removed by taking anesthetics, and the volume of the donor's bone marrow is restored to normal values within about a month.