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Bone marrow transplant (BMT) is a critical procedure for patients with blood cancers, genetic disorders, and immune deficiencies. At Manipal Hospitals, Jaipur, we provide world-class BMT services, combining advanced techniques with comprehensive patient care.
Synopsis
What Is a Bone Marrow Transplant?
Bone marrow transplant (BMT), also known as Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT), is a procedure in which damaged or diseased bone marrow is replaced with healthy stem cells.
These stem cells develop into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, restoring the body’s ability to produce blood cells.
BMT is performed to:
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Replace damaged marrow from high-dose chemotherapy or radiation.
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Treat blood cancers, including leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.
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Address genetic disorders like thalassemia or sickle cell anemia.
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Correct immune system deficiencies.
In simple terms, it is a method of restoring normal blood production and immunity by introducing healthy stem cells into the patient’s bone marrow.
Conditions Treated & When It’s Used
BMT is used in a variety of medical conditions:
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Blood cancers: Leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma.
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Bone marrow failure syndromes: Aplastic anemia.
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Genetic blood disorders: Thalassemia, sickle cell disease.
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Immune deficiencies: Primary immune disorders.
Leukemia Bone Marrow Transplant
For patients with leukemia, BMT is often a curative treatment. The transplant helps eliminate residual cancer cells and rebuilds healthy marrow. Leukemia and bone marrow transplant require careful donor matching and conditioning to maximize success and minimize complications.
Types of Bone Marrow Transplants & How They Differ
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Autologous transplant: Uses the patient’s own stem cells collected before chemotherapy or radiation. Reduces rejection risk and restores blood cell production.
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Allogeneic transplant: Uses stem cells from a donor (related or unrelated). Requires HLA matching to prevent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
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Cord blood transplant: Uses stem cells from umbilical cord blood, suitable when a matched donor is unavailable.
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Haploidentical/mismatched donor transplant: Uses partially matched relatives (50% match) as donors.
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Conditioning intensity: Myeloablative (high-dose) vs reduced-intensity conditioning, chosen based on patient age, health, and disease type.
The Procedure Step by Step
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Donor Stem Cell Collection:
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Bone marrow needle method: Extracted from donor’s pelvic bone under anesthesia.
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Peripheral blood stem cell method: Stem cells collected from blood after mobilisation with growth factors.
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Conditioning Regimen:
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Chemotherapy or radiation is used to destroy diseased marrow and suppress immunity.
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Infusion / Transplant:
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Stem cells are infused via a catheter into the patient’s bloodstream.
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Engraftment Phase:
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Stem cells migrate to the bone marrow and begin producing RBCs, WBCs, and platelets over several weeks.
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What to Expect - Timeline & Recovery
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Hospital stay: Typically 3–6 weeks depending on complications.
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Engraftment: White cells recover in 2–4 weeks; platelets and RBCs may take longer.
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Follow-up care: Regular monitoring continues for months to a year.
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Differences for children vs. adults: Pediatric patients often recover faster but require specialized nutritional and psychological support.
Side Effects & Risks
Bone marrow transplant side effects may include:
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Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD): Acute or chronic, more common in allogeneic transplants.
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Infections & organ damage: Due to immune suppression during conditioning.
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Graft failure: Transplanted cells may not engraft properly.
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Infertility, cataracts, and secondary cancers in long-term follow-up.
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Pulmonary complications: Respiratory syndromes can occur post-transplant.
Patients should report fever, rash, breathing difficulties, or unusual bleeding immediately.
Innovations & Advances in BMT
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Reduced-intensity conditioning for older or fragile patients.
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Outpatient transplants to reduce hospital stay.
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Improved donor matching, including haploidentical donors.
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Novel medications to minimize GVHD and better supportive care.
Nutrition, Lifestyle & Infection Prevention Post-Transplant
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Follow a safe diet with proper food hygiene.
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Maintain vaccinations and dental care.
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Avoid sun exposure, crowded areas, and contact with infections.
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Gradually resume physical activity under supervision.
Emotional Support, Rehabilitation & Long-Term Follow-Up
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Psychological counseling to manage stress and anxiety.
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Physiotherapy and occupational therapy for gradual recovery.
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Long-term monitoring for late effects such as organ toxicity or secondary cancers.
Cost, Logistics & What Patients in Jaipur Should Know
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Costs vary; contact Manipal Hospitals Jaipur for personalised quotes.
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Insurance, travel, and accommodation support are available.
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The BMT center handles high volumes with experienced teams, ensuring optimal outcomes.
Why Choose Manipal Hospitals Jaipur for BMT
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State-of-the-art transplant facilities.
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Multidisciplinary BMT team with comprehensive pre- and post-transplant care.
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Proven success rates and patient-centric approach.
FAQ's
It is a procedure to replace diseased marrow with healthy stem cells to restore blood production.
Stem cells are collected from the patient or donor, the patient undergoes conditioning, and stem cells are infused to engraft in the marrow.
Common side effects include infections, GVHD, organ damage, and blood count abnormalities.
Recovery varies; immune function may take up to a year, with close monitoring throughout.
Yes, in many cases, a bone marrow transplant can offer a curative treatment.
A bone marrow needle is used to extract marrow from the pelvic bone under anesthesia for transplantation.
Autologous uses the patient’s own stem cells; allogeneic uses donor stem cells and requires HLA matching.
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