[Remembering the first successful bone marrow transplantation performed in 1977 in Novi Sad]

The author describes circumstances under which a young man with a severe idiopathic aplastic anemia, pancytopenia and hemorrhagic syndrome had undergone the first successful bone marrow transplantation performed at the Department of Haematology of the Internal Clinic in Novi Sad in 1977. As the patient did not react to the androgenic therapy and he had a healthy twin-brother with the same blood group and HLA system and MCL, differing only in Rh genotype, bone marrow transplantation was suggested. Attempted transplantation without immunosuppression and with a small number of bone marrow cells was performed in 1976 at the Military Medical Academy (MMA) in Belgrade, but it was unsuccessful. The patient suffered from a serious pancytopenia and hemorrhagic syndrome, and survived due to blood transfusions. There were 56 blood transfusions with more than 20 liters of blood. At that time bone marrow transplantations were not performed in Yugoslavia, only MMA started this method. The patient could not be transported, so the author with his associates decided to perform a new transplantation with immunosuppressive therapy with cyclophosphamide and with sufficient number of bone marrow cells, believing that it was the only chance their patient had to get better. Without special equipment, improvising a sterile room, the author performed a new transplantation. Two weeks later first signs of improvement of pancytopenia occurred, whereas after reticulocytic crisis, 45 days later, the number of blood cells reached normal values. On the occasion of examining Rh genotype of our patient it was established that, instead of previous Rh genotype inherited from his father, after retransplantation he had a new Rh phenotype acquired from his brother who inherited it from their mother. It was a proof that the transplantation was a complete success. On the occasion of 20th anniversary of that event in 1977, the whole team, which had performed the retransplantation, met their ex-patient. Today he is healthy, employed and a successful sportsman.