5 facts about why bone marrow donation is needed and how this procedure works
Miscellaneous / / October 16, 2023
We tell you when transplantation of this organ is necessary and who can become a donor.
1. Bone and spinal cord are not the same thing
Despite their similar names, these are organs with fundamentally different tasks. Spinal cord applies to the central nervous system and transmits impulses from the brain to the rest of the body. It is located in the spinal canal.
Bone marrow produces From hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) blood components are red blood cells, platelets and leukocytes. The last type of cells has a subtype - lymphocytes. They play important role in the functioning of the immune system.
It is the bone marrow and its stem cells that are used for transplantation. He located in flat bones, such as the pelvic bones, and no manipulations are performed with the donor’s spine during the donation of HCT.
2. Transplantation may help people with blood cancers
Sometimes there are malfunctions in the functioning of the bone marrow - it starts produce “wrong” cells. Lymphoma, leukemia, or aplastic anemia may result. For such diseases
able develop infectious complications and massive blood loss, threatening the lives of patients.A bone marrow transplant may offer a chance of remission. It is important that the tissues of the donor and recipient are compatible. Otherwise there is risk Bone marrow rejection is a life-threatening condition for the person receiving the transplant.
3. Family members are not always suitable donors
The compatibility of the tissues of the donor and the patient requiring bone marrow transplantation is determined by the HLA genotype. According to this indicator, every person has “twins”, but it is difficult to find them quickly. Among family members, the probability of a coincidence amounts to up to 25%, among unrelated people - from 1 in 10,000 people to 1 in 100,000.
Genetic databases that store information about volunteers help to facilitate the search for donor bone marrow and HSCs. You can get there if you donate blood for HLA typing. But in international databases it is difficult to select donors for representatives of some ethnic groups living in Russia, for example, the peoples of the Caucasus or Siberia. The larger and more diverse the Russian registry is, the higher the chance of a perfect match.
4. Bone marrow donation occurs without surgery
Because of the name of this organ, it may seem that when donating it, doctors have to crush the large bones of the donor. But in reality, such complex manipulations are not necessary. Exists two ways Bone marrow or HSC collection:
- Apheresis method. In this case the cells get from venous blood. A few days before the procedure, the donor is given drugs that stimulate the production of HSCs. Next, a catheter is placed in the ulnar vein, the blood is passed through a cell separator, which “takes” the necessary cells from the biomaterial, and is returned to the donor. This method is used in 90–95% of cases.
- Exfusion method. Donor material take from the pelvic bone using a puncture with a thin sterile needle, while the bone itself is not destroyed.
As a rule, both options do not cause significant discomfort to the donor. First of all, bone marrow donation requires a willingness to help another person in the fight for life, and you should not be afraid of inconveniences - they disappear soon after the procedure.
5. The donor's bone marrow is completely restored
The level of HSC in the body quickly returns to normal. Depending on the method of collecting material, this takes from one to four weeks. Taking drugs that expel HSCs into the blood can cause a slight increase in temperature and muscle pain - these symptoms are relieved by antipyretics. After donation using the exfusion method, the donor may experience discomfort in the lower back for a couple of days. Painkillers help to cope with them.
Donating stem cells is voluntary, so the donor has the right to refuse to participate in the procedure. But about his decision he must say at least 10 days before transplantation. This is because before the transplantation the recipient is subjected to chemotherapy, which is designed to suppress his immunity. And if the donor refuses at the last moment, the patient risks death.
For people with oncohematological diagnoses and diseases of the blood system, bone marrow transplantation is often the only chance to save life. Finding a suitable candidate willing to share stem cells allows Federal Register bone marrow donors. Citizens of Russia from 18 to 45 years old can join it. Several years may pass from the moment of inclusion in the database to the call to take the GSC. At the same time, the safety and health of the donor is the priority of the entire process. If any contraindications are identified that could affect the person’s condition after bone marrow donation, he will not be allowed to undergo the procedure.
To learn more