What is Bone Marrow Transplant?
Bone marrow transplant is the process of removing bone marrow from a healthy donor and giving it to the recipient (patient) via a vein.
What is a stem cell?
They are the main cells that provide the formation, reproduction or repair of every tissue in the human body. For example, you need your own stem cell for the liver, your own stem cell for nerve tissue, and your own stem cell for blood. In terms of blood production, the most common location of stem cells (hematopoietic stem cells) is bone marrow. Apart from that, it is found in human blood, which we call environmental blood, and in the cord blood of babies.
Is There Any Difference Between Bone Marrow Transplant And Stem Cell Transplant?
Basically, the aim is to collect blood forming stem cells and deliver them to the patient. While doing this, bone marrow, which is very rich from blood-forming stem cells, can also be used, stem cells obtained from blood (peripheral blood or umbilical cord blood) can also be used. There are differences in the methods used for stem cell collection, some side effects and complications.
How are stem cells harvested from bone marrow?
Under sterile operating room conditions, enough bone marrow is collected for the recipient with the help of bone marrow removal needles under general or spinal (numbed from the waist) anesthesia in accordance with the conditions of the donor. The process takes about 1-2 hours.
How are Stem Cells Collected from Environmental Blood?
With the help of a device called apheresis device, stem cells in the blood are collected using needles inserted into the veins in the arm of the donor or catheters placed in a large balls in those whose vessels are not suitable. The process varies depending on the number of stem cells to be collected, but it takes about 3-4 hours. This can be done several times to collect enough stem cells.
How are Bone Marrow or Stem Cells Taken from the Patient?
Blood-forming stem cells collected from bone marrow, peripheral blood or cord blood are administered to the patient via a vein. Recently, researches that place stem cells in bone marrow in selected patients have also attracted attention (not routine practice). In those with blood group incompatibility between the recipient and donor, it is given after removing the liquid part or red spheres from the bone marrow. The given cells go to the bone marrow through the blood and settle. If stem cells are not used immediately and planned to be given later, a special solution is added to the cells and frozen / controlled mechanically. Cells are stored until they are used in special nitrogen tanks designed for this process.