Post Bone Marrow Transplantation

Transplantation is not a medical condition but a medical treatment. It is basically done to treat various kinds of aggressive medical disorders like some end stage diseases or organ failure in which the respective organ fails to perform its activities.Palliative Care Post Transplantation .

Majorly organs that can be transplanted are:

• Lungs
• Kidneys
• Heart
• Intestine
• Eyes
• Pancreas
• Liver
• Thymus
• Some tissues like skin, cornea, bones and tendons can also be transplanted

Transplantation is a major surgical procedure and patient may experience a wide variety of physical symptoms like:

• Infection
• Bleeding
• Pain
• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Insomnia
• Shortness of breath
• Anxiety
• Depression

Palliative Care Post Transplantation

Palliative care is specially designed medical care that focuses to give relief to the patient from symptoms, stress and ill-effects of medical treatment like Transplantation. Transplantation of an organ is generally done when there is no scope of improvement in its disease condition. It becomes necessary to replace the diseased organ with a healthy one to save patient’s life. Palliative care for transplantation is patient and family centered care that improves life by anticipating, preventing and treating sufferings.

Palliative care is provided by a team of specialists, including palliative care doctors, nurses and social workers who work in association with patient’s doctors to provide an extra layer of support. Although it can be given at any age and at any stage but ideally, it should be started soon after transplantation and be continued till the organ is accepted by the body.

Goals of Palliative care Post Transplantation

• Manage post-transplant “Graft-versus-host Disease.”
• Communication about the risks and benefits associated with the transplantation and life after transplantation
• Make a big, positive difference in how patient feel about himself, family and transplantation surgery
• Help the patient and ease his anxiety regarding transplantation surgery
• Treat the symptoms of transplantation and sometimes symptoms of underlying condition
• Help patient to adjust with diagnosis and understand other complex medical information related to disease and its treatment
• To be with patient at every step of the transplant procedure
• Improve quality of life of patient as well as their family

Advantages of Palliative care Post Transplantation

• Relieves patient symptoms like pain, shortness of breath and anxiety
• Treats emotions of patient by teaching them skills and techniques to cope fear or anxiety
• Makes patient and family understand about the need of transplantation and solves all their queries regarding it
• Supports patient and his family in all possible ways
• Helps patient match the treatment choices to his personal needs and goals
• Helps patient to better cope with the very real challenges of having a transplantation and life after transplantation
• Fills in the communication gap between patient, family and doctors
• Increases survival and exceptionally improves quality of life of the patient