What You Need to Know Before Getting a Bone Marrow Transplant?

Bone Marrow is a spongy and soft tissue inside the bone with lots of small blood vessels in it. There are two main kinds of bone marrow:

1. Yellow Bone Marrow – It is majorly made up of fats and includes stem cells that contain bone cells, fat and cartilage.
2. Red Bone Marrow – It includes blood stem cells that will produce platelets, white blood cells and red blood cells.

The Importance of Bone Marrow

Bone Marrow is important for the following reasons:

1. Platelets – This helps in the formation of clots in our body. If there is a lack of platelets, bleeding will not stop in case of injury. 
2. White Blood Cells – It helps in fighting the infection and build our immunity.
3. Red Blood Cells – It carries nutrients and oxygen all over our bodies.

What is Bone Marrow Transplant?

A bone marrow transplant is a medical procedure, which is used to remove destroyed or damaged bone marrow and replace it with new healthy bone marrow. The bone marrow may get destroyed or damaged due to many reasons such as chemotherapy, infection, or disease. In this method, a bone marrow transplant specialist replaces new blood stem cells in the bone marrow. The new blood stem cells help in promoting the development of new bone marrow and create new blood cells.

What Is the Need for Bone Marrow Transplant?

When bone marrow is not functioning properly, that person needs to get a bone marrow transplant done. Damaged bone marrow can be caused by cancer treatment, disease or chronic infection. Here are some of the reasons to get a bone marrow transplant.

a. Thalassemia

This is a type of blood disorder, which is inherited through families. In this type of disorder, the bone marrow will create an abnormal form of haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is a very important part of the blood that carries oxygen throughout the body.

b. Sickle Cell Anaemia

This is also an inherited blood disorder where bone marrows cause mis-shapened red blood cells.

c. Congenital Neutropenia

In this type of blood disorder, infection is caused on a recurring basis. It is also a genetic blood disorder, which is transferred from family to family.

d. Damaged Bone Marrow

Sometimes, during cancer treatment, the bone marrow can be damaged or destroyed. In such cases, it needs to be replaced by the new bone marrow. 

e. Cancer

There are a few types of cancer such as myeloma, lymphoma, and leukaemia, which can create problems in the bone marrow. Avail treatment at the best cancer hospitals for any kind of cancer you are suffering from. 

f. Aplastic Anaemia

In this type of blood disorder, the body will stop producing new blood cells, which is a very dangerous situation for a person. A bone marrow transplant is immediately required in such cases.

Also Read: HOW BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT PERFORMED BY SPECIALIST

If you are suffering from any issues with bone marrow symptoms, then immediately consult your doctor and get the problem diagnosed. If a bone marrow transplant is required, get it done at the earliest.  For healthy bone marrow, consume adequate amounts of Vitamin C along with non-heme iron.