Saturday, February, 11, 2012

Bone marrow transplant

Table of Contents

In many cases donor stem cells can be collected directly from the person's blood. Surgery is not needed. The donor will first receive injections for a few days.

Minor surgery may be needed to collect bone marrow and stem cells from a donor. This is called a bone marrow harvest. The surgery is done under general anesthesia, which means the donor will be asleep and pain-free during the procedure. The bone marrow is removed from the hip bones.


Why the Procedure Is Performed

A bone marrow transplant replaces bone marrow that is either not working properly or has been destroyed (ablated) by chemotherapy or radiation.

Your doctor may recommend a bone marrow transplant if you have:

  • Certain cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma
  • A disease that affects the production of bone marrow cells, such as:
    • Sickle cell anemia
    • Aplastic anemia
    • Thalassemia
    • Congenital neutropenia
    • Severe immunodeficiency syndromes
  • Had chemotherapy that destroyed your bone marrow

Before the Procedure

Your health care provider will ask you about your medical history and do a physical exam. You will have many tests before your treatment begins.

Before your transplant, you will have one or two tubes, called catheters, inserted into a blood vessel in your neck. This tube allows you to receive treatments, fluids, and sometimes, nutrition.

Your doctor or nurse should discuss the emotional stress of having a bone marrow transplant. You may want to meet with a mental health counselor. It is important to talk to your family and children to help them understand what to expect.

You will need to make plans to help you prepare for the procedure and handle tasks after your transplant. Things to consider include:

  • Advanced care directives
  • Arranging medical leave from work
  • Bank or financial statements
  • Care of pets
  • Household chores
  • Insurance coverage
  • Payment of bills
  • Schedules and care for your children

You may need to find housing for yourself or your family near the hospital.

Review Date: 03/17/2011
Reviewed By: Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)