About one and a half liters of marrow and blood are drawn from an adult donor. This volume does not compromise the donor’s blood cell production. Recovery is rapid, with complete restoration usually occurring within a few days and at most within a week. This information comes from a physician at the Institute of Hematology, Immunology and Cell Technologies of the Center named after socialbites.ca, and from Dima Rogachev Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Alexey Maschan.
Bone marrow transplantation can save lives in roughly 500 to 600 cases. The physician noted that such cases fall into three broad categories: malignant hematologic diseases, congenital immune system disorders, and congenital metabolic disorders.
When collecting bone marrow from an adult donor, approximately one and a half pints of tissue are removed through several punctures of the bone marrow sites.
“That amount may seem large. Yet this procedure includes taking not only marrow but also a mixture of blood. In terms of the donor’s hematopoiesis, this represents only a temporary and minor loss. Full recovery typically happens within a few days, or at most within a week,” Maschan explained to socialbites.ca.
According to the physician, bone marrow is removed either under general anesthesia or under spinal anesthesia. The latter is frequently used in procedures such as childbirth or orthopedic operations, and the donor does not feel pain. General anesthesia is more common for pediatric donors. An alternative to bone marrow collection is peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.
“If peripheral blood cells are to be transplanted, specific methods are employed to mobilize hematopoietic cells from the bone marrow into the bloodstream. Once in the blood, these cells are collected in a safe and relatively straightforward procedure. The blood is processed through a centrifuge to separate the necessary cells, while the remainder is returned to the donor,” the hematologist noted, further emphasizing the practical aspects of the technique.
Historically, questions have been raised about the availability of bone marrow donors within Russia and the broader implications for patient access to this life-saving therapy.