AIIMS Nagpur performs its first bone marrow transplants – ET HealthWorld

Nagpur: The department of haematology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Nagpur successfully conducted bone marrow transplants (BMT) for two paediatric patients recently. With this, AIIMS became the first and only government hospital in Maharashtra to have this facility.

Vidarbha and central India have a high prevalence of blood disorders like thalassaemia and sickle cell. BMT is the only permanent solution for these blood disorders. The successful BMT at AIIMS with the financial support of government health schemes could be a boon for the poor patients living with these disorders. However, the two surgeries done in AIIMS in the last three weeks were not on thalassaemia patients.

The first patient was a 12-year-old boy with aplastic anaemia, a fatal illness in which the patient’s blood-producing cells of bone marrow are depleted. The second patient was a 17-year-old girl with refractory CNS cancer (brain lymphoma).

“Bone marrow transplant is a recommended treatment option in young patients with such severe diseases. However, cost and donor availability are major challenges,” said Dr Rahul Arora, head of the department of medical haematology, AIIMS Nagpur.

The 12-year-old boy found a completely matched donor in his elder sister. The patient underwent complex conditioning therapy followed by stem cell infusion and recovered successfully in three weeks. He was discharged without any major complications.

The girl, being a cancer patient, received chemotherapy to bring the disease under control. To ensure long-term disease control, an autologous stem cell transplant was offered to her. Her stem cell was stored before high dose of chemotherapy and later infused into her. She also recovered successfully in three weeks.

“BMT is the need of the hour for patients with haematological disorders,” said Maj Gen Dr Vibha Dutta (SM), director and CEO of AIIMS. She urged patients to avail the benefits of the affordable services at the hospital. Medical superintendent Dr Manish Shrigirwar appreciated the effort of the specially trained nursing staff and doctors from the department of haematology and paediatrics who ensured strict aseptic conditions and supported the patients and their caregivers throughout the treatment process.

Dr Vinky Rughwani, director of thalassaemia and sickle cell centre, Nagpur welcomed this development. “This is a good start. Hopefully, they will start BMT for thalassaemia patients soon. It will be a real benefit for Vidarbha. People have to travel to Mumbai, Hyderabad or Bengaluru for BMT at present,” said Dr Rughwani.

1st BMT in a Maha public hospital

AIIMS Nagpur becomes first public hospital in Maharashtra to have BMT facility

12-year-old boy, a patient of aplastic Anaemia got allogeneic (donor given) BMT

17-year-old cancer patient girl got autologous (patient’s own) bone marrow

Could be boon for Vidarbha, epicentre of thalassaemia and sickle cell.