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Bone Marrow Transplant for Sickle Cell Disease
Bone marrow transplants offer a potential cure for a child's sickle cell disease. They are usually considered only for children younger than 16 who have:
- Severe sickle cell disease complications, including repeat strokes, episodes of acute chest syndrome, and painful events.
- An available donor (someone who has closely matching bone marrow).
- No significant damage to major organs.
The risks of bone marrow transplant become greater as a person gets older and/or develops damage to major organs. For these reasons, a bone marrow transplant is not a treatment option for most adults who have sickle cell disease. But research on bone marrow transplants in adults is ongoing.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: October 7, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Martin Steinberg, MD - Hematology | |
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