How Transplantation Is Done by the Bone Marrow Transplant Specialist
- Dr. Atish Bakane
- Jun 25, 2022
- 3 min read
The process of transplantation can save the life of an individual who has leukemia or another type of blood disorder. The transplant process involves a central venous catheter being inserted into the chest vein. This catheter is used to collect blood and administer medicines to the patient. This tube will remain in place until the transplant is complete. If you have a high-risk blood disorder, you should schedule a consultation with a bone marrow transplant specialist to get more information about the procedure.
Autologous Stem Cell Transplant

A bone marrow transplant specialist can perform an autologous stem cell treatment for a patient who has a severe type of leukemia. The process includes a series of tests to ensure that the patient is a suitable candidate for stem cell donation. Patients are then given injections called growth factors to stimulate the release of stem cells. These cells are harvested from the patient's bone marrow. The stem cells are then frozen with liquid nitrogen and stored in the lab until they are transplanted.
A bone marrow transplant specialist can also perform autologous stem cell transplantation to restore a patient's immune system after the cancer treatments. In an autologous stem cell transplant, the patient's stem cells are harvested from the bone marrow or peripheral blood and stored until they are needed. After undergoing a conditioning regimen, the patient is injected with the stored blood stem cells to replenish the body's blood cells.
An intravenous (IV) catheter is inserted into the patient's vein. The transplanted stem cells find their way into the bone marrow and start producing new blood cells. Approximately two to three weeks after the transplant, the patient begins to experience blood cells. A successful graft will eventually produce red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. A bone marrow transplant specialist will discuss the risks, benefits, and side effects of the treatment with you.
Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant

An allogeneic stem cell transplant is a procedure that replaces damaged bone marrow with healthy stem cells from a different adult. The donor can be a relative or an unrelated stranger. Other transplant methods include cord blood, which uses stem cells from a newborn or umbilical cord, haplomismmatched transplants, and donor leukocyte infusions, which use the donor's white blood cells.
There are two types of stem cell transplants available, allogeneic and syngeneic. An allogeneic stem cell transplant uses stem cells from a genetic match. A sibling or an identical twin can be a suitable donor for this procedure. The exact procedure depends on the condition of the patient and his or her organs. A patient's general health and condition determine which type of stem cells will work best for the transplant.
Patients may be prescribed medications before the transplant to increase the number of stem cells in their blood. Some donors may experience minor discomfort during the recovery process, but this will subside within a few days or weeks. Patients are closely monitored after the transplant for four weeks. In general, most patients recover completely after this procedure. The surgery may be slightly uncomfortable, but it's worth it when it saves a life.
Syngeneic Stem Cell Transplant

A syngeneic stem cell transplant is a type of allogeneic transplant using cells from an identical twin. Because the donor twin and the recipient twin are the same ethnicity and have the same type of tissue, there is no risk of graft-versus-host disease. The procedure is extremely safe, and blood cell recovery is immediate. Syngeneic transplants also reduce the risk of tumor relapse because the donor has the same genetic makeup as the patient.
Before receiving a stem cell transplant, a patient may need to undergo high-dose chemotherapy and total body irradiation. This treatment will destroy most of the patient's cancer cells while allowing the stem cells to engraft. The patient will need to rest for at least a day after the chemotherapy session. The stem cells are harvested before the chemotherapy begins. However, many doctors harvest donor stem cells the day before the chemotherapy begins.
A patient can have an autologous transplant in two ways. The first type is an autologous transplant, which uses a patient's stem cells as the donor. Patients with certain types of cancer can receive autologous transplants. Autologous transplants can be used for multiple myeloma or lymphoma, and are sometimes beneficial for people with certain types of childhood cancers. Surgical procedures can also help with other types of illnesses, including systemic sclerosis and lupus.
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