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A marrow harvest procedure under local anesthesia

K A Dicke1, D L Hood, S Hanks

  • 1Arlington Cancer Center, TX 76012, USA.

Experimental Hematology
|October 1, 1995
PubMed

Insights

This study presents a safe, cost-effective outpatient bone marrow harvest technique. This method accelerates recovery of blood cells, like granulocytes and platelets, after chemotherapy in cancer patients.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Hematology
  • Surgical Procedures

Background:

  • Traditional bone marrow harvest procedures carry significant risks and costs due to their inpatient surgical nature.
  • Autologous stem cell transplantation is a crucial supportive care modality in oncology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe an alternative bone marrow harvest technique performed in an outpatient setting under local anesthesia.
  • To evaluate the safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of this novel bone marrow harvest protocol.

Main Methods:

  • Bone marrow was collected from eight puncture sites in an outpatient setting using local anesthesia.
  • Collected marrow was analyzed for total nucleated cells and CD34+ progenitor cells.
  • The harvested progenitor cells were reinfused into 10 cancer patients post-chemotherapy.

Main Results:

  • Approximately 450 mL of marrow was collected in 30 minutes, yielding a median of 4.18 x 10^9 cells and 33 x 10^6 CD34+ progenitor cells.
  • Reinfusion of CD34+ cells resulted in rapid recovery of granulocytes (median day 14) and platelets (median day 21).
  • This outpatient method reduced harvest costs by 75% compared to traditional procedures and demonstrated comparable engraftment capability.

Conclusions:

  • Outpatient bone marrow harvest under local anesthesia is a safe, efficient, and cost-effective alternative to traditional methods.
  • This technique significantly accelerates hematologic recovery in cancer patients undergoing dose-intensive chemotherapy.
  • The protocol preserves the engraftment potential of hematopoietic progenitor cells, reducing the need for blood product support.

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