An eight-month-old Pakistani child named Rayan has donated his healthy bone marrow stem cells to save the life of his two-and-a-half-year-old sister, Zeenia. The transplant was conducted successfully at a hospital in Bengaluru.?
The siblings are from Sahiwal in Pakistan. Zeenia had been suffering from a rare disease called Hemaphagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), in which bone marrow produces some abnormal cells which eat away the normal cells, resulting in high fever, low blood counts, liver and spleen enlargement, doctors said.
Siasat Daily
¡°After we diagnosed the girl was suffering from HLH, we discovered that her brother was Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) match for her,¡± said Dr Sunil Bhat, Senior Consultant and Head of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant at Narayana Health City hospital.
¡°As the donor is just eight months old to collect the adequate dosage, he was required to undergo the donation process twice at a gap of only few weeks,¡± Dr Bhat said.
¡°By using small marrow extraction needles and with the assistance of a team of anaesthetists and other members, we have successfully extracted enough marrow which helped cure Zeenia. Rayan has not only saved his sister, he also has the unique distinction of being the youngest marrow donor in India,¡± he added.
Dawn
Doctors said the procedure was conducted in October, and Zeenia is cured of her ¡°deadly disease¡± and ready to leave for Pakistan to lead a normal life. They have advised her parents about certain follow-ups that Zeenia needs to undergo after going back home.
The doctors also said Rayan was doing ¡°exceptionally¡± well and fine.
Zeenia had earlier undergone treatment at an armed forces hospital in Rawalpindi.