Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant Hospital in Hyderabad

There are several types of bone marrow transplants: Autologous (using the patient’s own cells), Allogeneic (from a donor with a similar genetic type), Syngeneic (from an identical twin), and Umbilical cord blood (from a newborn’s cord). There’s also Reduced-intensity conditioning, where lower doses of chemotherapy or radiation are used before receiving donor cells. The type of transplant depends on the availability of donors and the patient’s specific needs, with donor matching being crucial for success—a key aspect when considering advanced transplant procedures like those at Yashoda Hospitals.

The best type of bone marrow transplant depends on several factors, including HLA matching, where a donor’s human leukocyte antigens are compared to the recipient’s to ensure compatibility. Full siblings are most likely to provide a full match, but other relatives or registry donors may also work. Transplant types include allogeneic (most common, with a good donor match), haploidentical (partial match from a close relative), and umbilical cord blood (less mature stem cells needing less of a perfect match, though recovery is slower).  

Recovery from a bone marrow transplant can take several months to a year, depending on the type. Autologous recovery takes 3-6 months, while allogeneic recovery can take 12-18 months. Patients typically stay in the hospital for 1-3 months, with regular blood cell count checks and possible use of immunosuppressants to prevent complications. Good hygiene, including daily showers, and gentle exercise are recommended during recovery. 

To find a bone marrow donor, a doctor first tests the patient’s blood to determine their HLA type. Siblings are usually tested first, as they have a 25% chance of being a perfect match. If no suitable family donor is found, a search is conducted through a bone marrow registry like Be the Match. Eligible registry donors must be 18-60 years old, healthy, and not pregnant.

The bone marrow transplant procedure takes about 1-2 hours. Stem cell collection from the donor’s bone marrow is done under general anesthesia and takes 1-2 hours. Stem cell infusion into the recipient’s body through a central line takes a couple of hours and is painless. Afterward, the recipient typically stays in the hospital for 3-4 weeks, followed by outpatient follow-ups for about a month. 

Bone marrow donors are matched with recipients by comparing HLA types, which is more complex than blood type matching due to the many possible HLA combinations. A blood sample is taken from the recipient to determine their HLA type, and the transplant team looks for a donor with closely matching HLA markers. If a potential match is found, a new blood sample confirms it. Doctors typically aim to match at least 8 out of 12 HLA markers, and the time to find a match varies, depending on the recipient’s HLA type.

The success rate of bone marrow transplants varies based on factors such as the recipient’s health, the specific disease being treated, and the type of transplant performed.