Modified Isolation procedures are to be followed during the time your child is in the hospital. This type of isolation is used to help reduce the risk of your child getting an infection from family members and hospital staff.
You will be placed into protective isolation on the day of your stem cell transplant, if not before. If you have a blood cancer you may have experienced protective isolation after you had chemotherapy.
Take care not to get infections for up to 1 year or more after your transplant. Practice safe eating and drinking during cancer treatment. Do not eat or drink anything that may be undercooked or spoiled. Make sure your water is safe.
It usually takes about 3 months, but it's also normal to take more or less time. The time after your transplant is a time of cell recovery and growth.
If returning to your home after transplant, a complete general cleaning of your home must be done before the patient arrives home. The kitchen and bathroom areas should be cleaned with a weak mixture of bleach and water. Also, wash your child's towels and bed linens including any blankets and comforters.
For 100 days after engraftment, you'll have follow-up tests at our Westwood BMT clinic at least once a week. These include lab tests, scans and, if needed, a bone marrow biopsy. We will restage your condition at 100 days, 6 months, 1 year and 2 years after transplant.
Visitors are encouraged throughout your hospital stay, and are welcome. Visitors often provide a needed break in the daily routine. Although the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit does not have strict visiting hours, suggested visiting hours are between 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., so that you can get proper rest.
The bone marrow isolation procedure preserves the sterility of the bone marrow space, has low handling to reduce contamination, and does not require cutting of the long bone, thus reducing loss of bone marrow yield.
Engraftment typically happens around day +15 or +30. Depending on your condition, you may leave the hospital after engraftment has occurred. But you will still need to be close to the hospital for one to three months after discharge.
Bacterial infections are the most common. Viral, fungal and other infections can also occur. Some infections can develop later on, weeks to months after the transplant. Infections can cause extended hospital stay, prevent or delay engraftment, cause organ damage, and may be life threatening.
100 days after stem cell transplant is when the highest risk for critical side effects is past and when the stem cells have engrafted and instigated making new blood cells. A bone marrow, stem cell or cord blood transplant can be particularly hard-hitting with lots of prospective effects.
To prevent infection, your child will be admitted to a protective isolation room on the day of their blood and marrow transplant.
A bone marrow transplant does not involve major surgery; rather, it's performed similarly to a blood transfusion. In a bone marrow transplant, bone marrow cells are collected from a donor's bloodstream through a needle inserted into a bone, typically a pelvic bone.
After your bone marrow test
You usually go home the same day if you're feeling well enough. You have a dressing over the site, which you should keep on for 24 hours. If you notice any bleeding apply pressure to the area.
You should not expect to return to work or school for at least three to six months after transplantation. Even though blood tests may be normal, the immune system needs that time to recover. For some patients it may take six months to one year to recover.
People have more probability of surviving for another 15 years after a bone marrow transplant, who's been able to survive for at least 5 years after hematopoietic cell transplant without any signs and symptoms of relapse of the original disease. However, a normal life expectancy is not completely achieved.
Day 100 is a milestone that many stem cell transplant recipients circle boldly on their calendars as the turning point in their recovery. That's when the greatest risk for critical side effects is past and when the stem cells have engrafted and begun making new blood cells.
The entire transplant process takes around one to two hours. To receive your new bone marrow cells, healthy cells from your donor will be collected through an IV (intravenous) catheter (again, similar to donating blood) and transfused into you through a central line. This is a painless procedure.
It's common to feel sick and be sick after your transplant because of your treatment, medication, a possible infection or GvHD. Nausea normally only lasts a week or two for most people. If you struggle with nausea for longer, talk to your transplant team because they might need to change your medication.
You are at risk of fever, infection, bleeding, anemia, damage to the organs and dietary problems. Most of these problems are worse when the blood count is very low, usually 2 to 3 weeks after the transplant.
Avoid contact with external portions of the door when exiting the isolation room. Perform hand hygiene and then disinfect any surfaces (e.g., doorknobs) that may have accidentally been contaminated when the room was exited. Make any needed chart entries. Wash hands again before leaving the anteroom (as applicable).
These include: hand hygiene; use of gloves, gown, mask, eye protection, or face shield, depending on the anticipated exposure; and safe injection practices.
Maximum number of visitors
Although our patients may have more than one visitor, it is the policy of the Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT)/Stem Cell Transplant Unit that only two visitors, including parents, will be allowed in the patient's room at any given time.