Bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside bones that produces and stores most of the body's blood cells and immune cells.
Stem cells are the first cells produced by the bone marrow, and these cells rapidly develop into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Reasons for bone marrow transplantation
Patients with diseases that cause bone marrow failure in producing blood cells.
And these diseases can be both cancerous and noncancerous such as:
Firstly, there are two types of bone marrow donation:
This procedure involves the removal of stem cells through a vein, which takes about 3-4 hours. The donor is fully conscious and may experience some headache, which gradually subsides after 1-2 days after donation.
This is a surgical procedure where the donor is given anesthesia to prevent pain. In this method, a needle is inserted into the back of the pelvic bone. The procedure usually takes 30-40 minutes, and the donor will stay in the hospital for a day. The donor can return to their normal health within 2-3 days.
Bone marrow transplantation involves injecting stem cells into the patient's body through a vein, usually taking about 2 hours.
The transplantation process is not painful, and the patient will be conscious during the process.