Safdurjung doctors successfully perform first Bone Marrow Transplant on 45-year-old patient

New Delhi: The first successful Bone Marrow Transplant was carried out in the Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Unit of Safdarjung Hospital, a press release issued by the hospital mentioned. 

"Medical Superintendent VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital Dr Vandana Talwar is happy to announce the first successful Bone Marrow Transplant in the BMT Unit, Safdarjung Hospital as per the vision of Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandviya and Esteemed Director General of Health Services Atul Goel to start Bone Marrow Transplant in the central government hospitals at minimal cost," the release stated.

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The BMT unit was inaugurated in June this year. The BMT Unit incharge Kaushal Kalra and Sumita Chaudhary stated that it was performed with full support by Medical Superintendent Vandana Talwar, P S Bhatia, Additional MS and BMT team members Mukesh Nagar, Ankur and Aditi along with JM Khunger HOD Haematology and Sunil Ranga, HOD Blood Bank and other staff members.

Vandana Talwar stated that it was the first among all central government hospitals. The facility is a life-saving procedure for patients with Multiple Myeloma, Lymphoma and other Hematological Malignancies, the press release stated.

Vandana Talwar added that the Bone Marrow Transplant costs around 10-15 lakhs in a private setup but it was done in Safdarjung Hospital at negligible cost. According to Kaushal Kalra, the patient involved in the Bone Marrow Transplant case was a 45-year-old female, with Multiple Myeloma who underwent the process of Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant, the release said.

The stem cells of own body are preserved before the infusion of cytotoxic drug and the preserved stem cells are re-infused in the body of patients. It takes around 12 days for engraftment of stem cells in the patient’s bone marrow.

The period of the last two weeks was critical for the patient as she was in an immunocompromised state and prone to infections. The patient was admitted on August 1 and the Bone marrow transplant was performed on August 5. The patient was fully recovered and was ready to discharge from the hospital, the release said.

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