Before we start about how a bone marrow transplant is done, you need to know what a bone marrow transplant is and the purpose behind getting it done. Basically, this kind of transplant is carried out to replace the bone marrow that has been harmed or tampered with because of a disease, infection, or radiation a person is suffering from. It is also known as stem cell transplant used in the treatment of blood diseases along with cancers like multiple myeloma, types of lymphoma and leukemia as well. The procedure of transplantation involves taking out the healthy blood cells from the donor and installing them into the bloodstream of the patient so that a flow of healthy blood cells can begin in their body. Bone marrow is the powerhouse that produces red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets that are known for carrying oxygen and nutrients and to prevent infections. And when a person’s bone marrow fails to perform all these functions, that’s when they start needing a transplant. The procedure of bone marrow transplant in India is executed when donor stem cells are in coordination or match with the receiver. Before the transplant takes place, the patient undergoes chemotherapy in order to take out the cancerous cells. The radiation they are exposed to during the treatment kills the left out the marrow and helps the new stems to grow. Once that’s done, more stem cells are infused into the body of the patient intravenously. There are various bone marrow transplant specialists in India available to take appointments and offer world-class treatment to such patients these days.
Kinds of Bone Marrow Transplant in India:
- Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant: In case the patient doesn’t want to be dependent on a donor, the transplant specialist extracts the stem cells from him and stores them for later use before the patient undergoes chemo or radiation therapy. However, it can only be done if the patient has healthy bone marrow otherwise, they will require a donor.
- Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant: In this kind of transplant the stem cells are discovered and stored from the umbilical cord of the newly born. Once they need the transplant, these stem cells are brought to use again.
- Allogeneic bone marrow transplant: This kind of transplant involves stem cells from the donor, who’s found after conducting a lot of special tests to ensure that he is a perfect match. The patient continues to receive an alternative treatment until a donor is found, which is often siblings.
- Parent-Child Transplant and Haplotype Mismatched Transplant: As per the bone marrow transplant specialists in India, this type of transplant is more common considering the bone marrow match in it is 50 and not 100%. Such transplants usually involve a donor from the family-like parents, child and siblings.
How is Bone Marrow Transplant done in India?
The kind of transplant that a patient requires is decided after considering his health situation, the severity of the disease he has been dealing with and the stage he is at. Once you make an appointment at bone marrow transplant hospitals in India, the specialists there will guide you through this process after the evaluation of the patient’s condition. The treatment itself is a painless process that doesn’t involve any kind of sedation and the patients are conscious during the whole transplantation procedure. Before the healthy blood cells are transfused in the body of the patient, the central intravenous catheter is put near his upper right part of the neck or arm. The healthy blood cells are transferred through the tube to the heart directly in order to help them reach every part of the body and to the bone marrow at the end, from where new and healthy new stem cells are known to beget. Once the transplantation has been carried out, the bone marrow specialist keeps a close eye on the red blood cell of the patient and looks for the platelet count as well. After constant observation, these specialists decide the next and if the patient requires any further treatment or not. The patient might be required to be kept under observation at a bone marrow transplant hospital in India for a few weeks if the need arises and if they face any sort of complication after the transplant. The bone marrow transplant specialist will decide the kind of diagnosis and treatment plan a particular patient requires. In case the patient faces any further issues or has any doubts, they can reach out to the specialist opting the telehealth services which has made it quite convenient for them to get in touch with a doctor no matter where they are. It is quite fascinating how fulfilling medical services in India have become!
