On the afternoon of 28/9, Hue Central Hospital held a discharge ceremony for a 4-year-old patient from Da Nang, who underwent an allogeneic stem cell transplant to treat idiopathic bone marrow failure.

Doctors successfully performed the bone marrow transplant. *Photo: Provided by doctors*

The patient's illness began in February, presenting with anemia and hemorrhage, requiring continuous blood and platelet transfusions. Due to granulocytopenia, the child experienced repeated infections. Doctors diagnosed idiopathic bone marrow failure.

Bone marrow failure is a condition where the bone marrow does not produce enough blood cell lines, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Patients face prolonged anemia, severe infection, and hemorrhage. Children with this condition risk life-threatening complications.

Following a consultation, Hue Central Hospital conducted HLA testing, identifying the patient's one and a half-year-old brother, weighing 10 kg, as a perfect match for stem cell donation. However, the siblings had incompatible blood types: the girl was type O, and the boy was type B. Performing a stem cell transplant from such a young donor with blood type incompatibility presented significant challenges in preparing and processing the stem cells.

The hospital decided to implement an immunological neutralization method, transfusing the donor's blood type into the patient to reduce antibody titers. This approach eliminated the need for the team to separate red blood cells from the stem cell bag on the day of marrow collection, thereby preserving the total number of stem cells obtained.

Professor Pham Nhu Hiep presents flowers to the discharged patient. *Photo: Provided by doctors*

This marks the first time this technique has been implemented at Hue Central Hospital. Notably, the donor in this case is recognized as Vietnam's youngest bone marrow donor.

Post-transplant, the patient experienced some complications, which were promptly detected and managed, leading to a gradual stabilization of her health. Her blood cell lines are now recovering well, she is no longer dependent on blood transfusions, and has met the criteria for discharge.

Hue Central Hospital considers the transplant's success a significant step, expanding treatment opportunities for children with hematological diseases, particularly idiopathic bone marrow failure, in the Central - Central Highlands region and other areas.

Vo Thanh