• Before stem cell donation
The donor whose stem cells match with the patient will be contacted to test for additional HLA which divided into 2 types:
1. HLA High Resolution Typing : is high-resolution testing of HLA tissue from the extracted DNA at the registering step. The donor no needs to travel to the National Blood Center.
2. HLA Verification Typing : is high-resolution testing of HLA tissue. This process, the donor must travel to the National Blood Center and be informed in detail about stem cell donation thoroughly including health history screening. If the donor is willing to donate and no health problems, a blood sample will be collected about 50 c.c. for HLA typing and blood infectious testing. The staff will then inform the tested result to the donor. If the donor is not convenient to travel to the National Blood Center, please inform the staff to coordinate with the RBC or where you are convenient to travel to collect the samples.
• Physical examination procedures
If the HLA Verification Typing procedure has done and reveals that the donor has HLA tissue matched with the patient, there will be a staff contacting you to make a physical examination appointment. Before stem cell donation, the donor must have a physical examination at the National Blood Centre’s member hospital. For the physician to assess the donor that is in good health and able to donate stem cells.
• Stem cell donation method
1. Peripheral hematopoietic stem cell donation
There is a very small amount of stem cells in the peripheral blood line. Therefore, the donor must be injected granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) once a day for 4 days prior to the donation for stimulating the stem cells to come out in the bloodstream. Then collect the stem cells from veins in both arms by using an automatic stem cell separator machine which will take time around 4-5 hours per day for 1-2 days. The donor will be recovered in 3-5 days after donation.
2. Bone marrow stem cell donation
The donors may need to collect 1-2 bags of their blood for using themselves, 1-2 weeks prior to donation. Then on the day of donation, the stem cells will be collected in the sterile room. The donor will be under general anesthesia during the procedure by the anesthesiologist. The physicians will collect donors’ bone marrow by using aspiration needles at the hip bone area which will take time around 2 hours. After donation, the blood will be returned to the donor and the donor will be recovered in 5-7 days.