Bone Marrow Transplant Surgery, Abroad
Bone Marrow Transplant Surgery cost:
{the cost covers all destination medical & logistics costs}
International Destinations: India, Jordan, Mexico, South Korea, Turkey
Bone marrow is the fatty tissue which is located inside the bones. Bone marrow
contains stem cells which subsequently grow to form red blood cells, white blood
cells and platelets, which are essential components of our vascular system.
Hence the procedure is also referred to as Stem cell transplant procedure. Each
of these cells formed from the stem cells perform specific functions like oxygenation
of tissues, protection of body from infection and enhancing homeostasis. A bone
marrow transplant procedure involves replacement of a diseased or dysfunctional
bone marrow tissue by healthy stem cells which are destroyed due to radiation
therapy or chemotherapy. There are different types of transplant procedures
which depend upon the intensity of the problem and the urgency of the transplant.
Developing countries like Mexico in North America, Jordan and Turkey in West
Asia, India in South East Asia and South Korea in East Asia, have strong and
excellent healthcare infrastructures and technologies which provide bone marrow
transplant surgeries at lower prices compared to hospitals in the United States
of America.
Need for Bone Marrow Transplant Procedure:
Bone marrow transplant or Stem cell transplant procedure is recommended in
some of the following conditions,
- Certain forms of cancers including lymphoma, multiple myeloma and leukemia,
which affect the functioning of a healthy bone marrow.
- In cases of clinical conditions where the bone marrow fails to produce the
right quality or quantity of blood cells and platelets. These conditions include,
- Sickle cell anemia: A genetic disorder in which the morphological
structure of the red blood cells is distorted o Aplastic anemia: An autoimmune
disorder in which the bone marrow does not produce adequate number of
red blood cells required for normal physiological functioning
- Thalassemia: A genetic disorder which results in the production
of biochemically abnormal red blood cells, which resulst in excessive
destruction of cells and consequently, anemia
- Neutropenia: An abnormal condition, where the bone marrow fails
to produce adequate number of white blood cells
- Severe types of Immunodeficiency syndromes
- In critical situations, when chemotherapy or radiation therapy tend to
destroy the patients bone marrow completely resulting in severe complications
Bone marrow transplant procedures:
There are three different methods of conducting bone marrow transplants which
depend upon the donor of the transplant tissue. They include,
- Autologous bone marrow transplant: Auto" implies "self", whereby
the patient is the donor. This transplant procedure is used for patients undergoing
chemotherapy or radiation therapy treatment regimen which are known to suppress
the bone marrow functions. Stem cells are taken from the peripheral blood
stem cells prior to the therapy treatment. These stem cells are subsequently
re-implanted into the patient. Due to the nature of this procedure it is also
referred to as "rescue transplant".
- Allogeneic bone marrow transplant: When the donor shares the same
genetic profile with the donor it is referred to as allogeneic bone marrow
transplant. The donor may be anyone from the patients close family (i.e. parent,
twin, brother or sister) or any unrelated individual with a similar gene profile.
When the donor is a parent or a sibling it is referred to as haploid identical
match (half identical to the recipient). When the donor is an identical twin
it is referred to as a syngeneic transplant (completely identical to the recipient).
Occasionally bone marrow transplants from unrelated donors with similar genetics
are also done.
- Umbilical cord transplant: In this case, stem cells are taken from
the umbilical cord immediately after the delivery. These cells mature faster
and are more effective than other transplants and often use for transplant
among infants born with deficient bone marrows.
Pre-bone marrow transplant procedure:
Prior to the transplant the recipient and the donor will be prepared for the
procedure. The procedural guidelines include,
- Preparing the recipient:
- A detailed and complete physical examination and evaluation of the recipient's
medical history will be undertaken. The recipient will be subjected to several
tests prior to undertaking the transplant procedure.
- The patient will be required at the hospital a few days prior to the scheduled
transplant procedure. During this time a catheter will be inserted into
larger blood vessels, usually in the neck, to receive treatments, fluids,
and nutrition.
- A suitable donor will be identified through a complex and lengthy procedure.
- Some patients may require counseling to deal with the emotional stress
of undertaking a transplant procedure. The patient is issued directives
by the medical team with regards to routine activities.
- Preparing the donor
- As mentioned earlier, the donor could be a parent, sibling, relative or
a completely unrelated person. The donors are identified.
- Once the donor is identified, the tissue matching of HLA (Human Leukocyte
Antigen), is conducted before the transplant to review the success of the
transplant.
- A successful donor match is subjected to various investigations to evaluate
their health status and exposure to the virus. A complete genetic analysis
is undertaken before the extent of the match is determined
- After successful preliminary assessments, stem cells of the donor are
collected through a needle placed in the bone marrow or peripheral blood
stem cells.
Post-bone marrow transplant care:
- Most transplants require hospitalization, except for autologous transplants
which can be done on Out patient basis
- Hospital stay may range from four to six weeks. " The patient will be closely
monitored for blood and vital signs.
- Anti biotic, Anti fungal and Anti viral medications are prescribed to prevent
infections
- Oral feeding may start only after gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea,
nausea, vomiting and mouth sores cease.
- Occasionally some patients may require blood transfusion
Success Rate of Bone marrow transplant procedure:
The success of the procedure will depend upon several factors like age, sex,
overall health status of the recipient, extent of match with the donor, genetics
and tolerance to medications and treatment. Continuous follow up is vital for
effective management of transplant cases. Ideally a recipient would take about
12 months for complete recovery, during which time the patient has to take great
care and follow the advice of the medical team.
Complications of the Bone marrow transplant procedure:
Immediate complications include,
- Infections due to low white cell count
- Internal Bleeding in any part of the body due to low platelet count
- Anemia due to low red blood cell count
- Gastro intestinal distress, manifested, in the form of diarrhea, nausea,
and vomiting and severe inflammation of the gastro intestinal mucosa
- Pain
Other long term complications could include,
- Premature cataract
- Early menopause
- Graft versus host disease, in which the host cells attack the donor's cell
and are manifested in the form of skin rash, gastro intestinal distress, and
respiratory distress.
- Delayed growth is observed in children undergoing a transplant
Bone marrow transplant procedure in India:
Some of the leading Indian hospitals have gained international repute for performing
bone marrow transplants with an excellent success rate. The success is attributed
to high quality procedures and stringent infection control norms. The low cost
of bone marrow transplant procedures is attracting several patients to the Indian
subcontinent to seek medical care, from around the globe.
Bone marrow transplant procedure in Mexico:
With low costs of bone marrow transplant procedures and several JCI accredited
international quality hospitals, patients for the United States, prefer Mexico
due to a friendly and empathic atmosphere, which hastens healing. Rigid quality
and infection control standards have proven effective in improving the outcome
of several international patients visiting Mexican hospitals.
Bone marrow transplant procedure in Turkey:
Turkey has negated the fundamental concept, that low cost is associated with
poor quality of care. Turkey now provides world class quality treatment facilities
to international patients, which is reflected by a steady increase in foreign
medical tourists visiting the country.
Bone marrow transplant procedure in Jordan:
Bone marrow and stem cell transplantations are being conducted in Jordan since
the 1990s. However in recent years with technological advancements, the government
has transformed the country into a preferred destination for bone marrow transplant
in the Middle East. More than 100 transplants are conducted annually in the
country, with a major chunk of patients from other countries, which speaks volumes
of the quality and success of transplant procedures in the country.
Bone marrow transplant procedure in South Korea:
South Korean hospitals have shown substantial success in bone marrow reconstitution
and engraftment over the past few years. These successes are attributed to the
high quality of medical care and the experience of trained and skilled medical
staff in the Korean hospitals. These success rates coupled with low cost, is
attracting several medical tourists from the United States.
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