Bone Marrow Transplant is performed in three different types:

• Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant: Auto means self, and in Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant, stem cells from the patient’s own body are removed and stored. The patient is prescribed with high-dose of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. After this, the patient’s stored stems cells are infused back in his body so that new healthy blood cells can be formed. It is also known as rescue transplant.

• Allogenic Bone Marrow Transplant: Allo means other, and in Allogenic Bone Marrow Transplant, stem cells from another person (donor) are transplanted to the recipient.

• Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant: Umbilical cord blood transplant is a type of Allogenic Transplant. In this transplant, the stem cells from the newborn baby’s umbilical cord are removed and saved soon after birth. These stem cells are frozen and stored until the time they may be required for transplant. In most of the cases, the Bone Marrow Transplant donor is brother/sister/parent/children/family member of the recipient.

However, the Bone Marrow Transplant donor can be any person who is not part of the family of the recipient, but the matching of genes (partly) is essential for a successful transplant. Once a donor decides to donate stem cells, special tests are performed to find out the perfect donor for the recipient.

Haploidentical Bone Marrow Transplant : Also known as half match. It is performed when your sibling is your donor.

In India: 3-4 months
In Hospital: At least two months

Yes, Sickle cell anaemia can be cured with Bone Marrow Transplant.

Yes. The less is the age, the more efficient are the results of the Bone Marrow Transplant.

Yes, it depends on the weight and age of the patient.

The Bone Marrow Transplant is like a blood transfusion procedure. It may be required to give chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or both before the transplant to kill any remaining Bone Marrow cells so that new cells can proliferate.

The suggested tests are required to match a donor to the recipient and transplant is planned only after confirming the match.

Donor stem cells can be collected in the following two ways:

• Bone Marrow harvest: In this procedure, the donor is induced with general anaesthesia, and his Bone Marrow from the back of both hip bones is removed for transplantation into the recipient.
• Leukapheresis: In this method, the donor is given shots for several days so that the stem cells move to blood from Bone Marrow. Then, through an IV line, blood is removed from the donor. It is followed by the separation of part of WBCs that contain stem cells from the collected blood. The left out blood containing RBCs is returned to the donor.
• Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant: Umbilical cord blood transplant is a type of Allogenic Transplant. In this transplant, the stem cells from the newborn baby’s umbilical cord are removed and saved soon after birth. These stem cells are frozen and stored until the time they may be required for transplant.

• Recovery of the recipient after Bone Marrow Transplant may take a few weeks.
• The recipient is given antibiotics and other anti-rejection medications for several weeks to prevent any infection or graft-versus-host disease.
• The recipient is given IV feeding for a few days.
• The recipient can move around some time after the procedure.
• If everything goes well, the recipient can go home in about a few weeks after the procedure.
  
  

• A successful Bone Marrow Transplant is defined by an increase in the blood count levels or control of disease/cancer.
• In most of the cases, the transplant can increase the survival of the patient. It can partially or in some cases, completely cures the illness of the patient.
• Within one year after transplant, the patient can resume all the major daily activities and feels far better than before.

Your child can live life to the fullest. He will not be facing any pain in any part of the body like a child’s diseased bone marrow will be replaced with the healthy bone marrow.

The tentative bone marrow transplant cost depends on its types, which are:

Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant: up to $20,000
Allogenic Bone Marrow Transplant: up to $45,000
Haploidentical Bone Marrow Transplant: $35,000

Bone Marrow Transplant cost depends on the factors like:

• Weight
• Body’s ability to handle 
• Type of transplant

Since the procedure is performed very precisely and it takes a lot of time to find the type of donor, stem cells, blood transfusion procedure, stay, accommodation in country and hospital, age and crisis condition, etc.