Guide To Making A Bone Marrow Donation

How The Procedure Works

During peripheral blood stem cell collection, a needle is placed in each of the patient's arms. The needles are connected to tubes. The first tube removes blood from the patient and transports it into a machine that separates different types of blood-forming cells. After passing through the machine, the blood is returned to the patient through the second tube. The entire process takes around three hours, and donors may need to return on a second day to repeat the procedure. Patients might feel some discomfort while needles are placed, and headaches and bone tenderness are other potential side effects. Individuals who are donating bone marrow through a bone marrow harvest will have an operation under general anesthesia. During the operation, doctors will use needles to withdraw liquid marrow from the back of the patient's pelvic bone. Donors are normally able to go home on the same day. Patients may experience headaches, nausea, and fatigue due to the anesthesia, and temporary bruising and soreness in the lower back are common.

Discover what recovery from a donation looks like next.