Fortis Hospital India for Bone Marrow Transplant: Costs, Treatment and Recovery

Considering bone marrow transplant at Fortis Hospital India? Explore treatment costs, recovery timelines, and what Nigerian patients can expect.

Fortis Hospital India for Bone Marrow Transplant: Costs, Treatment and Recovery

Patients who have severe blood disorders may have an important decision to make when choosing a transplant center for specialized care. Fortis Hospital India is a part of a large private healthcare chain that has the specialist teams of haematology, oncology and transplant. Patients coming from abroad can also avail of coordinated medical travel services while taking medical treatment in India. Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) or hematopoietic stem cell transplant might be suggested for disorders that include leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, aplastic anemia, thalassemia and certain inherited blood disorders. In certain sickle cell patients, stem cell transplantation can be a potentially curative treatment, if they have the right medical criteria. This is a guide about Bone Marrow Transplant treatment in Fortis hospitals in India, cost of the treatment, treatment process, recovery from the treatment and how GetWellGo can help international patients.

What Is a Bone Marrow Transplant?

A Bone Marrow Transplant is the replacement of diseased or damaged blood-forming stem cells with healthy stem cells from the bone marrow. These cells can give rise to red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

Doctors might use:

  • Autologous transplant: The stem cells are the patient's own, collected, stored and re-transplanted to the patient after intensive treatment.
  • Allogeneic transplant: Stem cells come from a donor who is compatible with you, like a sibling, relative or unrelated matched donor.
  • Haploidentical Transplant: A family donor who has only one part of the donor's blood group matched the recipient may be used if a fully matched donor is not available.

The decision will depend on the condition of the underlying disease, donor availability, age, overall health, previous treatments and evaluation of the transplant.

Why Chose Fortis Hospital India for Bone marrow Transplant?

Fortis hospital India has multi-specialty teams that might consist of hematologists, medical oncologists, transplant physicians, intensive-care specialists, infectious-disease specialists, nurses, nutritionists and different health-care professionals. The process of treatment planning usually starts with the evaluation of medical history and diagnostic reports for international patients. The transplant team can then decide if transplant is suitable and suggest any further tests for investigation prior to treatment.

Depending on the patient's condition and the facility chosen at Fortis, the evaluation may include:

  • CBC, blood chemistry
  • Bone marrow examination
  • Imaging and disease-specific tests.
  • HLA typing
  • Infection screening
  • Evaluation of heart and lungs.
  • Testing blood or urine for kidney and liver problems
  • Donor evaluation
  • Genetic or molecular testing as needed

Treatment options and tests will differ depending on the individual patient.

Support for sickle cell disease patients seeking BMT

For those with complex and severe sickle cell disease the ties between sickle cell and bone marrow transplant treatment are especially relevant. Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder passed from parent to child in which the red blood cells become stiff and sickle-shaped because of the presence of an abnormal kind of hemoglobin. This may cause anemia, painful attacks, infections, organ complications and other health issues. An allogeneic stem cell transplant can potentially replace the patient's abnormal blood-forming system with healthy donor stem cells. But not all people with sickle cell disease will be automatically a candidate for transplantation.

Doctors take into consideration:

  • Disease severity
  • Previous complications
  • Patient age
  • General health
  • Organ function
  • A good donor is available.
  • Infections and rejection of the organ are among the risks of transplanting.

A specialist consultation is necessary before considering transplantation for patients interested in the sickle cell and bone marrow transplant in India.

Bone marrow transplantation Process

There are various phases to a typical Bone Marrow Transplant.

Initial Evaluation

  • Medical staff is consulted to review a patient's diagnosis, treatment history, test results and health. The transplant team also determines if the patient is safe for transplantation.

Donor Matching

  • For an allogeneic transplant, physicians will conduct HLA testing to determine the best match for the donor. When available, a matched sibling is often considered as an option for the donor but other choices may be considered.

Stem Cell Collection

  • Depending on the transplant plan, stem cells can be taken from either peripheral blood or bone marrow. Apheresis is a standard method for collecting peripheral blood stem-cells.

Conditioning Therapy

  • The patient can be treated with chemotherapy, radiation or both, before the stem cells are given. This is a conditioning process that prepares the body for transplant and/or has an anti-cancer or immune system suppression effect.

Stem Cell Infusion

  • Stem cells are given via a drip or IV. The actual infusion is about the same as a blood transfusion.

Engraftment

  • The stem cells move to the bone marrow and start to make new blood cells. This is called engraftment.
  • Patients may need to be monitored closely during this time as blood counts can remain low and there is a risk of infections.

What is the cost of Bone Marrow Transplant in India?

The expenses of Bone Marrow Transplant in India are prone to huge variations depending on the disease, Bone Marrow Transplant type, hospital, the requirements of the donor, the complexity of the treatment and the length of stay.

The cost of a BMT in India is roughly USD 10,000 or higher but may vary based on the specific case.

If the patient is an international patient the final assessment should be made after examining the patient's medical records.

How Long Does Bone Marrow Transplant Treatment Take?

The entire transplant process can be weeks or months long. The conditioning phase is typically followed by stem cell transplantation and very careful monitoring for engraftment to take place. The risk of hospitalization is dependent on blood counts, risk of infection, response to treatment and complications. Patients should also be planning for follow-up appointments post-discharge. They may have to stay in India for the time recommended by their transplant team for international patients.

Recovery After Bone Marrow Transplant

The process of recovery after Bone Marrow Transplant is slow. The immune system may take a long time to recover after the discharge.

Patients may need:

  • Regular blood tests
  • Medicines to prevent or treat infections.
  • Medicines that weaken the immune system following some allogeneic transplants.
  • Nutritional support
  • Ongoing surveillance for problems with transplanting.
  • Regular specialist consultations
  • By practicing hygiene and infection control measures to prevent infection.
  • If advised, restricting certain foods/activities

Graft versus host disease (GVHD) is one of the major complications following an allogeneic transplant when the donor's immune cells attack the recipient's tissues. Patients are carefully watched for signs and symptoms and complications are treated if they arise. Recovery time will depend on the type of transplant, the patient's age, his/her general health, the underlying disease and complications.

International patients seeking treatment for bone marrow transplant in India 

Going to India for transplantations calls for more than just the medical procedure; it necessitates careful planning. International patients may require help with medical records, hospital appointments, visa documentation, accommodation, airport transfers, transportation and communicating with the medical staff.

GetWellGo can help patients find appropriate doctors and hospitals, provide estimates for the treatment, schedule appointments and arrange services while in the country. Patients can provide their medical records for initial screening. Considering all the information available, suitable specialists and treatment alternatives can be explored prior to travelling to India.

Conclusion

International patients who have a medical condition requiring specialized care in hematology and transplant should consider the Fortis Hospital India for their treatment with the availability of the required program and medical suitability of the patient. A BMT can be performed for a number of serious blood and immune disorders and in selected patients with severe sickle cell disease. Patients should have a one-on-one treatment plan and a cost estimate prior to travel for transplant because the treatment is detailed, donor matching, conditioning, stem cell infusion, monitoring and long-term follow up are involved. GetWellGo can assist international patients in organising consultations with doctors, choosing hospitals, arranging travel and helping with treatment support in India.

Bone Marrow Transplant​ with GetWellGo

GetWellGo is regarded as a leading supplier of healthcare services. We help our international clients choose the best treatment locations that suit their needs both financially and medically.

We offer:

  • Complete transparency
  • Fair costs.
  • 24 hour availability.
  • Medical E-visas
  • Online consultation from recognized Indian experts.
  • Assistance in selecting India's top hospitals for Bone Marrow Transplant.
  • Expert hematologist with a strong track record of success
  • Assistance during and after the course of treatment.
  • Language Support
  • Travel and Accommodation Services
  • Case manager assigned to every patient to provide seamless support in and out of the hospital like appointment booking
  • Local SIM Cards
  • Currency Exchange
  • Arranging Patient’s local food

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