What is Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT)?
Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT), or Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT), is a medical procedure that replaces damaged or diseased blood-forming stem cells with healthy stem cells. These stem cells develop into healthy red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, helping restore normal bone marrow function. Contrary to its name, it is usually not a traditional surgical operation; healthy stem cells are infused into the bloodstream similarly to a blood transfusion after conditioning treatment.
Patients from Bangladesh, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Iraq, Oman, Nepal, Mauritius, Zambia, and Zimbabwe choose India for world-class transplant care at significantly lower costs than many Western countries.
Who Needs Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT)?
Your orthopedic surgeon may recommend this procedure if you have:
- Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)
- Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)
- Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML)
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)
- Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Multiple Myeloma
- Aplastic Anemia
- Thalassemia Major
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)
- Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID)
- Fanconi Anemia
- Certain inherited metabolic disorders
Conditions Treated
Symptoms
- Persistent fever
- Frequent infections
- Easy bruising or bleeding
- Fatigue and weakness
- Unexplained weight loss
- Bone pain
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Recurrent blood transfusion requirement
- Low blood counts
- Night sweats
Diagnosis
- Complete Blood Count (CBC)
- Bone Marrow Biopsy
- Blood Group
- HLA Typing
- Viral Screening (HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C)
- Kidney Function Tests
- Liver Function Tests
- ECG
- Echocardiography
- Pulmonary Function Tests
- Chest CT Scan (if indicated)
- PET-CT (for selected cancers)
- Dental evaluation
- Infectious disease screening
- Psychological assessment
Types of Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT)
Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant
The patient's own stem cells are collected, stored, and reinfused after high-dose chemotherapy. Commonly performed for Multiple Myeloma, Hodgkin Lymphoma, and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.
Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant
Healthy stem cells are obtained from a compatible donor, such as a brother or sister, parent, child, matched unrelated donor, or haploidentical (half-matched) donor.
Haploidentical Bone Marrow Transplant
A half-matched family donor, such as a parent or child, donates stem cells. This option has significantly expanded access to transplantation for patients without a fully matched sibling donor.
Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant
Stem cells collected from donated umbilical cord blood may be used in selected patients, particularly children.
Benefits
- Highly experienced Bone Marrow Transplant specialists
- Dedicated HEPA-filter transplant units
- Advanced stem cell laboratories
- Internationally accredited hospitals
- Affordable treatment costs
- Modern infection-control protocols
- Comprehensive rehabilitation and follow-up care
The Procedure
- Initial consultation and diagnosis
- Donor search and HLA matching
- Comprehensive medical evaluation
- Stem cell collection
- High-dose chemotherapy (conditioning)
- Stem cell infusion (Day 0)
- Engraftment and blood count recovery
- Infection prevention and monitoring
- Hospital discharge
- Long-term follow-up
Duration: The surgery usually takes Engraftment generally occurs over the following weeks as the transplanted stem cells begin producing healthy blood cells..
Recovery Timeline
Success Rate
Bone Marrow Transplant outcomes vary depending on the disease, disease stage, donor match, patient age, transplant type, and overall health, and in experienced transplant centers many patients achieve long-term remission or cure for conditions such as leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, aplastic anemia, and thalassemia.
Risks
Although bone marrow transplant (bmt) is generally safe, possible risks include:
Cost of Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) in India
The final cost depends on: Type of transplant, Hospital, Transplant specialist, Disease complexity, ICU requirement, Length of hospital stay, Donor evaluation, Management of complications.
Why International Patients Choose India
- Highly experienced orthopedic surgeons
- Advanced surgical and arthroscopic technology
- Internationally accredited hospitals (NABH & JCI)
- Affordable treatment compared to Western countries
- Minimal waiting time
- Comprehensive rehabilitation programs
- English-speaking healthcare teams
- Personalized care for international patients
Best Hospitals for Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) in India
Hospital selection depends on your diagnosis, treatment goals, and budget. See our full hospital network →
International Patient Journey
- Share your medical reports (and MRI scans, if relevant).
- Receive a free expert medical opinion.
- Get a personalized treatment plan and cost estimate.
- Confirm your travel dates.
- Receive medical visa assistance.
- Arrive in India and meet your patient coordinator.
- Consultation and pre-operative evaluation.
- Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT).
- Rehabilitation and physiotherapy.
- Follow-up consultation.
- Return home with complete medical records and recovery guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Bone Marrow Transplant is commonly referred to as Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) because stem cells may come from bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood.
Most international patients should plan to stay 8–12 weeks, depending on the transplant type, recovery, and medical condition.
The stem cell infusion itself is generally similar to receiving a blood transfusion. However, the conditioning treatment and recovery period can be physically demanding and require close medical supervision.
Yes. A matched sibling is often the preferred donor, but parents, children, or other relatives may also be suitable in selected cases, including haploidentical transplants.
Yes. International patients can receive Bone Marrow Transplant in India after completing the required medical evaluation, donor assessment (if applicable), and documentation.