Pads Posted October 5, 2007 Share Posted October 5, 2007 Can anyone tell me the procedure if you are classed as a match to be a donor of bone marrow. Where do they take the bone marrow ? Is it the spine ? Is this a procedure that would entail a stay in hospital ? Will you be asleep or awake during the procedure? Is it taken just the once or a few times ? Are there any side affects? If anyone has any information I would be interested to hear. Thankyou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted October 5, 2007 Share Posted October 5, 2007 Some info here: http://www.marrow.org/DONOR/When_You_re_Asked_to_Donate_fo/PDF/now_youre_a_match.pdfno personal experience though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony F Dordogne Posted October 5, 2007 Share Posted October 5, 2007 I've not donated but have had many bone marrow tests at various centres and stages of my illness over the years. My understanding is that they take the initial test sample from the sternum (bit in front that holds the ribs together), hip or base of the spine and it's done under local anaesthetic, which is what I've had though mine was purely for testing. Can be very uncomfortable and/or painful (I know from experience) and in the USA and France it's only done under waking general anasthesia, unlike the UK where it's usually just a local.TOP TIP: don't have the local, it's bloody painful regardless of what the doctors say, last time I had it done I made sure that when I projectile vomited with the pain, the numb-nut doctor got the full benefit of it.The marrow for transplant itself is, I understand, usually taken from the long bones or the hip. Long bones (arms and legs) is where the majority of the marrow gets made and if that's not an option, it's usually from the hip. It's done under a general anaesthetic.Sorry if this is a bit offputting - my long bone marrow production is actually killing me from within, when it gets completely out of control I'll stop making red cells cos the space in my long bones will be full of rubbish and I then get the other sort of leukaemia so the internal workings of marrow and stuff is near and dear to my heart - or not, if you see what I mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickel Posted October 5, 2007 Share Posted October 5, 2007 [quote user="Pads"]Can anyone tell me the procedure if you are classed as a match to be a donor of bone marrow. Where do they take the bone marrow ? Is it the spine ? Is this a procedure that would entail a stay in hospital ? Will you be asleep or awake during the procedure? Is it taken just the once or a few times ? Are there any side affects? If anyone has any information I would be interested to hear. Thankyou [/quote]To be on the bone marrow registry a blood test is all that is required - if a match is found then further blood test are required for tissue typing DNA etc;The bone marrow is taken from the hip bone ( not the sternum - that is a bone marrow aspirate which is used to assess the progress of a disease and effect of treatment) under general or spinal anaesthesia but is a short procedureIt is now possible to filter out stem cells by taking blood from the one arm and returning the filtered blood to the other.http://cks.library.nhs.uk/patient_information_leaflet/bone_marrow_donationGood luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pads Posted October 5, 2007 Author Share Posted October 5, 2007 Thanks everyone for the quick replies [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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