Sometimes, the bone marrow in our body gets damaged or destroyed by disease, infection or chemotherapy. In such cases, a doctor often suggests replacing the bone marrow. The replacement of bone marrow is known as a bone marrow transplant. In this procedure, the doctor transplants the blood stem cells, which travel to the bone marrow. They produce new blood cells there and promote the growth of new marrow. The cost of a bone marrow transplant is much reasonable in India. The patients who come here for bone marrow transplant get all the necessary guidance regarding the operation from the reputed medical tourism companies in Kolkata.
The spongy and fatty tissue inside your bones is called bone marrow. The creation of the following parts of the blood is the job of bone marrow:
- Red blood cells. They carry oxygen and nutrients throughout the blood.
- White blood cells. They fight infection.
- Platelets. They are responsible for clot formation.
There are immature blood-forming stem cells also in the bone marrow. They are known as hematopoietic stem cells or HSCs. Throughout your lifespan, the HSCs found in your bone marrow will make new blood cells.
The doctor gets the healthy stem cells from a donor or he/she can get them from your own body. If the stem cells are taken from your body, before your chemotherapy or radiation therapy starts, the cells are harvested or grown. The doctor then stores these cells and uses them for transplantation.
Reasons behind a Bone Marrow Transplant
There are various reasons behind a bone marrow transplant. Some of them are:
- There is a disorder called aplastic anaemia in which the bone marrow stops making new blood cells.
- There are adverse effects of cancers like leukaemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma on the bone marrow.
- Chemotherapy damages the bone marrow.
- There are recurring infections due to congenital neutropenia, an inherited disorder.
- There are misshapen red blood cells due to sickle cell anaemia, an inherited blood disorder.
- The body makes an abnormal form of haemoglobin, which is an integral part of red blood cells, due to thalassemia, an inherited blood disorder.
The different types of bone marrow transplant are autologous transplants and allogeneic transplants. The infrastructure of the hospitals where these are done in India is world-class and the doctors are highly experienced in this procedure and speak fluent English. This helps the patients from the developed countries communicate properly with the doctors during their treatment in India. These patients get help regarding the proper place for this treatment and the availability of medical insurance from the best medical tourism companies in India.
The procedure
When the stem cells are taken from you, the doctor collects cells from both hipbones through a needle. You will be asleep during the procedure under the effect of anaesthesia and so you will feel no pain.
During leukapheresis, when the stem cells are taken from someone else, the doctor gives five shots to the donor, which helps the stem cells move into the bloodstream from the bone marrow. The doctor then draws the blood through an intravenous line (IV) and separates out the white blood cells containing stem cells with the help of a machine.
After the doctor collects stem cells from your body or the body from a donor he/she does the transplantation. The doctor installs a needle called a central venous catheter or a port on the upper right portion of your chest. The fluid containing the new stem cells flows directly into your heart and the cells get scattered throughout your body. They ultimately get into the bone marrow. Then they settle there and start to grow.
