Bone marrow transplantation is a heavy surgical operation expected to act as a permanent solution in treating many diseases. Bone marrow taken from a healthy individual must be transplanted quickly and accurately into the sick individual. Bone marrow transplantation procedures performed by opening vascular access are an issue that should treat very sensitively during the transplantation process, which should be done in hygienic environments and with sterile instruments in hospitals.
Bone marrow is a body part with a porous structure located within the bone in humans and animals. Thanks to the hematopoietic content in the bone marrow, it plays a significant role in the transfer of cells defined as blood-forming stem cells. Thanks to the cells with this building power, it aims to restructure itself by increasing the body’s resistance against all kinds of malfunctions.
After bone marrow transplantation, the relevant stem cells multiply and adapt when necessary to form the blood cells required for the body’s structure. In this way, significant advantages are obtained in treating severe diseases. After a detailed analysis of the patient, the donor, and the patient’s health need to examine the compatibility of the bone marrow to the extremes. It is a life-saving treatment method used in severe diseases, especially cancer.
How Does the Bone Marrow Transplant Process Work?
Choosing a suitable donor is very important in bone marrow transplantation. The bone marrow warehouses, where the samples taken from the bone marrow donors are appropriately analyzed and stored, also work in the same order as the blood banks in our hospital. In case of need, you can come and donate marrow by contacting you and requesting to be a bone marrow donor. Although bone marrow donation is not a very different procedure from blood donation, its effect on daily life is as much as if you donated blood. Bone marrow donations are made with general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia methods due to the entry into the bone, and may cause some mild pain. It is imperative that you are kept under control for a while after donation in hospitals so that embolism can be observed during the bone marrow donation process, although it is rare.
What is the Importance of Tissue Compatibility in Bone Marrow Transplant Procedures?
Can a parent be a 100% match for a bone marrow transplant? The state of harmony, widely known about the bone marrow compatibility of mothers, fathers, and all siblings, is not always one hundred percent. Although it is not a very common situation for the family to be preferred for bone marrow transplantation, it is usually possible to find the appropriate marrow from outside the family. The rate of obtaining the bone marrow compatibility of all siblings or parents from an individual in the family corresponds to approximately 25%. This rate is very low compared to other donors.
Donation Banks
In bone marrow transplantation procedures, if suitable tissue cannot be found, it can be easily performed with the marrows of volunteers in bone marrow banks. In our country, which has a large bone marrow bank, you can quickly increase your chances of finding bone marrow in line with the guidance of your physicians. Although there is no effect of being a bone marrow donor, the bone marrow taken can regenerate itself within 24 hours.
Bone Marrow Transplant’s Success Rate
Bone marrow transplantation is performed successfully in our country and in the world’s developed hematology centers. Although it varies according to the type of leukemia and the suitability of the donor, the results are positive. A success rate of 43% to 83% is achieved.
What Are The Side Effects Of Bone Marrow Transplant?
Various serious complications occur during and after the recipient leukemia patient’s preparation for bone marrow transplantation. In the late period, leukemia or multiple types of cancer may reappear at a rate five times more than ordinary people.
One year after the bone marrow transplant, children with leukemia regain their health and can return to their everyday lives.
How Much Does A Bone Marrow Transplant Cost?
Bone marrow transplantation, which costs an average of $25,000 per patient in Turkey, has been turned into health tourism in other countries and costs $100,000-250,000.