Bone Marrow Transplantation (Stem Cell Transplant)

Bone marrow transplantation is the process of separating abnormal cells from the patient's collected bone marrow cells and re-transplanting the healthy cells. In our country, services and treatments for various blood diseases and cancer are widely provided within Hematology units under approximately 200 programs across nearly 150 hospitals.

This process basically consists of 3 stages: Therapeutic Apheresis, Stem Cell Processing and Storage, and Thawing and Infusion (transplantation). All of these stages are barcoded and can be tracked using an ISBT labeling system.

The blood product collected and separated via Therapeutic Apheresis goes through several steps before processing and freezing.

Until the pre-processing preparations are made, the product collected from apheresis is kept in a refrigerator (Haier HYCD-282A, PHCBi MPR-250FH-PE). Subsequently, the process begins by separating the plasma and main stem cells using large blood bag centrifuges (AFI LORENA Benchtop Blood Centrifuge, AFI KATRINA Floor Standing Blood Centrifuge), after which it is returned to the refrigerator.

Next, depending on the institution's operating procedure, anticoagulants (DMSO, ACD, plasma, etc.) are added, and the freezing stage begins. To prevent cells from entering cold shock and dying or bursting under stress during the freezing phase, cells are frozen in Stem Cell Freezing Bags (Macopharma Stem Cell Storage Bags) using Controlled Rate Freezing (Sy-lab Programmable Gradual Freezer) or a mechanical freezing process (sequentially +4°C, -20°C, -40°C, -86°C, nitrogen vapor) to minimize damage to cell viability and quality. They are then moved to the storage environment.

The separated stem cells are transferred to Bone Marrow Stem Cell Freezing Bags (Macopharma Stem Cell Storage Bags) and preparations for the cryopreservation process are initiated. This procedure is performed in a Class II A2 Biosafety Cabinet (Esco Biosafety Cabinet, Haier Biosafety Cabinet).

There are two types of storage environments. For shorter storage, -86°C Ultra-Low Temperature (ULT) freezers (Haier -86s, PHCBi -86s) are used, while Cell Storage Nitrogen Tanks (IC tanks, Haier tanks) are used for longer-term storage in the vapor phase. Inside these devices, freezing bags are stored with a healthy inventory system using rack systems and cassettes (aluminum, stainless steel, or cardboard). With our own manufacturing, we offer standard rack systems as well as an integrated rack system designed for -86°C ULT freezers, providing a superior storage inventory system. When the transplant procedure is to take place, the frozen product is moved via a transfer tank, thawed in a plasma thawer or water bath, and the transplantation is performed.

The order of these operations is as follows: post-apheresis storage in a refrigerator, blood centrifugation, processing and pre-freezing preparation in a Biosafety Cabinet, controlled and mechanical freezing, subsequent storage in a -86°C ULT freezer and Nitrogen Tank, product transfer via transfer tank, thawing, and finally the infusion process.

All of these processes must be recorded either via manual forms or digitally according to JACIE and ISBT128 rules, and must be barcoded accordingly.

As Labor İldam, together with our affiliate software company Goldeneye Solution, we serve these units with Turkey's fully domestic, JACIE-compliant Bone Marrow Process Tracking and ISBT128-compliant Product Barcoding System.

This system aims to fully manage all processes, including pre-apheresis operations, operations during and after apheresis, product processing, product freezing, thawing and infusion, transplantation, disposal, cryopreservation storage locations, material management, device temperature and alarm monitoring. It is designed to report all operations and handle all intermediate and main product barcoding, and is currently in use in hospitals.

Furthermore, Labor İldam stands by you at all times with its experienced technical service team and staff, ensuring the maintenance and repair of the devices it sells, the reliability of the consumables provided, and the continuous introduction of innovations and product diversity.