Gurugram: Doctors at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram successfully treated a 24-year-old patient Mr. Abhishek Sharma of Charkhi Dadri, Haryana who was suffering from Severe Aplastic Anemia, where bone marrow stops to function, with no definitive medicines available. The patient presented to Fortis Gurugram with the complaints of fever, low hemoglobin, bleeding and low platelets. The patient underwent successful Bone Marrow Transplant performed by a team of doctors led by Dr Rahul Bhargava, Principal Director, Hematology, Hemato-Oncology & Bmt and Dr. Meet Kumar, Consultant, Hematology and BMT, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram.
The patient suffered from high-grade fever in February and he consulted his local doctor in Dadri. The doctors were quick in identifying that the patient’s platelet count was well below the normal count. Patient then consulted a doctor in Bhiwani and got repeat blood tests and went for third consultation to Hisar. The patient’s diagnosis was confirmed to be Aplastic Anaemia and was then presented to Fortis Gurgaon which is the advanced centre for Bone Marrow Transplant in Haryana. The patient’s brother and sister were tested for a matched donor Bone Marrow Transplant. While the sister was 80% match, the brother was 100% match. Thereby, the patients 16-year-old brother was considered as a donor. The patient underwent a successful bone marrow transplant in April 2021 and has now completely healed.
Dr Rahul Bhargava, Principal Director, Hematology, Hemato-Oncology & Bone Marrow Transplant, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram said, “Aplastic anaemia is a uniformly total disorder “in this disorder patient requires regular blood transfusion. Aplastic anaemia leaves one feeling fatigued and with a higher risk of infections and uncontrolled bleeding. Treatment for aplastic anaemia includes medications, blood transfusions but the only a stem cell transplant, also known as a bone marrow transplant.”
Dr. Meet Kumar, Consultant, Haematology and Bone Marrow Transplant, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram said, “Diagnosis of aplastic anemia is difficult and timely diagnosis is of utmost importance, secondly, once the diagnosis is done there is no curative treatment other than bone marrow transplant for this disease. In the process of BMT, RBC, WBC and platelets are Eradicated from the body. The patient is like a new born baby and is susceptible to infections. Stabilising the patient in such a condition is a challenge. Stem Cells from a different person are transferred to the patient’s body and acceptance of same is essentials for a successful transplant. However, when it comes to the donor, there is no risk involved at all. The donor just donates 300 ml of a blood stem cells and there is nothing to be scared. The patient was very lucky as ideally the donors match is 30 %, but in this case the patient and his Brother were 100% matched. The added intricacy for this patient was that he had a family history of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (a type of genetic disease leading to severe muscle weakness). For the same reason, donor was also screened negative for this disease before taking him up as the preferred donor. The donor was discharged the very next day of donation. The patient has successfully been discharged from the hospital and is now leading a normal life”
Patient Mr. Abhishek said, “When I was diagnosed with Aplastic Anaemia I was in shock. I have never had any of the symptoms mainly associated with the disease and when I was presented to Fortis I had very little idea about the cure of the disease and its treatment – Bone Marrow Transplant. I am thankful to my family who without giving it a second thought came forward to donate platelets. My brother was a full match and after the transplant he was discharged the very next day. After the transplant my bond with my brother has grew even deeper. I would like to thank all team of doctors specially Dr Meet Kumar for giving me a new lease of life.”
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