What is the full form of BMT?

The full form of BMT is Bone Marrow Transplant. Using healthy bone marrow stem cells, BMT replaces the damaged bone marrow. Healthy blood stem cells are transfused throughout the process. The stem cells enter the bone marrow and are in charge of producing various blood cells, such as RBCs, WBCs, platelets, etc. Inside the bones is a soft, fatty tissue called bone marrow. The bone marrow produces a variety of blood cells, each of which has a different purpose. Below are listed all of the functions here.

RBC: These cells are responsible for carrying oxygen and nutrients throughout the body.

WBC: WBC is responsible for the immune function of the body. They help in fighting infections.

Platelets: These are in charge of stopping the bleeding by causing blood clots to form.

Haematopoietic stem cells are another name for immature stem cells (HSC). Despite being immature, stem cells have the capacity to proliferate, stay stem cells, or develop into different types of blood cells. These stem cells can continue to produce new blood cells for the duration of an individual’s life.

The bone marrow of an individual tends to diminish when they are ill or have received extensive medical treatment. This makes it difficult to manufacture healthy blood cells, degrading the person’s physique. The recipient of a bone marrow transplant obtains new stem cells capable of procreating fresh, healthy blood cells. The stem cells might be extracted from a donor or from a person’s own body. Before beginning any strenuous cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation, the stem cells are first kept and then cultivated. These stem cells are later used for transplantation.

Some Important Reasons to Undergo a Bone Marrow Transplant are:

1. There are certain types of anaemia, like aplastic anaemia, in which the marrow stops producing new blood cells. Thus it becomes necessary in such cases that the individual undergoes Bone Marrow Transplant. 
2. Cancers damage the bone marrow.
3. Any radiation therapy or chemotherapy which harms the bone marrow. Thus bone marrow transplant becomes necessary.
4. Some hereditary disorders like thalassemia in when the body prepares an abnormal type of haemoglobin. In this case, a bone marrow transplant becomes necessary.

BMT is a significant technique with several adverse effects as well:

The patient may experience frequent headaches and nausea. Blood pressure will be decreased. Additionally, the patient may have a fever and chills. These adverse effects start out immediately and get better with time.

Bone Marrow Transplant also comes with complications that can be:

1. The donor cells might also attack back since the body’s immune system might not accept them. 
2. The patient might also suffer from internal bleeding.
3. There might be organ damage. Multiple organ failure is noticed in some cases post the procedure of Bone Marrow Transplant.
4. Females might suffer from menstrual problems and few might also experience early menopause.

There are 3 types of Bone Marrow Transplants:

1. Before a patient undergoes invasive therapies like chemotherapy and radiation to remove cancerous cells, an autologous bone marrow transplant is carried out. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are extracted, harvested from the patient, and then frozen. These saved stem cells are administered later, following the conclusion of the chemotherapy and other treatment operations.
2. Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant: Donor stem cells are taken into consideration in this kind of treatment. The recipient and the donor, a healthy person, are both involved in the surgery (the patient). This technique may occasionally result in difficulties if the body’s immune system rejects the foreign cells.
3. Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant: In this type, the newborn baby’s umbilical cord is harvested to obtain the stem cells. When needed for blood transplant procedures, these stem cells are extracted and kept in the freezer.