match? ‚ " ” ‚ To donate stem cells to another person, your blood needs to closely match theirs. To check this, doctors can do a special test to look at proteins in your blood. This is not the same as blood type (A, B, AB, or O). ‚
When a person needs a stem cell transplant, his or her siblings might be tested to find out if any of them is a "match. " ¯ There is about a 1 in 4 chance that a brother or sister will be a match. If there is a match, a sibling donor is usually the best option. That 's because siblings share similar genes, so the stem cells are more likely to work well with the body of the person who gets them. ‚
If no sibling is a match, doctors can try to find a donor who is not related to the person. This is often done by searching registries. Registries are lists of people all over the world who have volunteered to donate stem cells. The chances of finding a match from a registry partly depend on the person 's race and background. ‚
Are there other requirements for donating stem cells? ‚ " ” ‚ Yes. If you are found to be a "match " ¯ for someone who needs stem cells, that 's the first step. But there are other requirements, too. ‚
To donate stem cells, you must be in generally good health. You will have a physical exam and blood tests before you are allowed to donate. You will also need to answer questions about your health and behavior. These usually include questions about: ‚
¢ — ¸The medicines you take, or took in the past ‚
¢ — ¸Any recent vaccines that you have gotten ‚
¢ — ¸Whether you have had certain diseases ‚
¢ — ¸Countries you have lived in or traveled to ‚
¢ — ¸Sex partners you have had ‚
¢ — ¸Drug use ‚
¢ — ¸Past pregnancies ‚
You will get information about the donation procedure and risks. You will also be asked to sign forms saying that you agree to be a donor. It 's important that you are making the choice to be a donor for yourself, and no one is pressuring you to do it. ‚
What is the procedure like? ‚ " ” ‚ It depends on how your stem cells are collected. They can be taken from either the bone marrow or the blood. Your doctor will talk to you about each option, and help you decide which is best for your situation. ‚
¢ — ¸Bone marrow collection " “ If you are going to donate bone marrow, you will need to avoid alcohol for about 2 weeks before the procedure. You will also be asked to avoid medicines known as "nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, " ¯ or NSAIDs, for 24 hours before. These medicines include ibuprofen (sample brand names: Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (sample brand name: Aleve). Some people need to take iron pills before and after donating bone marrow. ‚
Right before the procedure, you will be given medicine (called anesthesia) so you won 't feel pain. A doctor will insert a special needle into the back of your hip bone, and take out some of your bone marrow. The doctor will need to insert the needle more than once to get enough bone marrow. After the procedure, the area will be covered with a bandage. ‚
¢ — ¸Blood collection " “ If you are going to donate stem cells from your blood, the process is different from bone marrow collection. For several days before the collection, you will need to take a medicine to help your blood produce extra stem cells. This medicine comes in a shot. You might give yourself the shot at home each day, or get it at the doctor 's office. It causes temporary muscle or bone pain in most people. Acetaminophen (brand name: Tylenol) can help with this.For the procedure, a needle will be inserted into a vein in each of your arms. Your blood will be taken from one arm and run through a special machine that takes out the stem cells. After the stem cells are taken out, the rest of the blood goes back into your body through the other arm. This usually takes a few hours. Most donors only need to do this once for enough stem cells to be collected. But some people need to go back a second time. ‚
What are the risks to me? ‚ " ” ‚ Both ways of donating stem cells involve some pain. For bone marrow donation, you are more likely to have pain after the procedure, in the hip area where the needles went in. There are also risks that go along with any surgery, including infection or problems with anesthesia. For blood stem cell donation, you are more likely to have pain in the days before the procedure. This is related to the medicine you need to take to help your body make more stem cells. ‚
Most people who donate stem cells feel good about being able to help someone. You might have some stress, especially if you are donating to a family member. Keep in mind that by donating stem cells, you are improving someone 's chances at a healthy life. A stem cell transplant does not always lead to recovery, and it 's not your fault if the person does not get better. ‚
What will my recovery be like? ‚ " ” ‚ If you donated bone marrow, you will likely have some pain after the procedure. You might also be more tired than usual. But you should feel back to normal in a month or so. You should avoid heavy lifting and intense exercise for about 6 weeks, to allow your body to heal. ‚
If you donated blood stem cells, you might feel fine right after the procedure. Your doctor might tell you to rest for a few days, but you should be able to get back to normal activities soon. No matter which way your stem cells were collected, your body will create more to replace the ones that were removed. You will be back to having the normal amount of stem cells within a few weeks or months. ‚
All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete. ‚
This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Jan 25, 2016. ‚
Topic 100506 Version 2.0 ‚
Release: 23.7 - C24.18 ‚
‚ © ‚ 2016 ‚ UpToDate, Inc. ‚ All rights reserved. ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you.The use of UpToDate content is governed by the UpToDate Terms of Use. ‚ ©2016 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved. ‚
Copyright
‚ © ‚ 2016 ‚ UpToDate, Inc. ‚ All rights reserved. ‚