LAHORE: The Children’s Hospital has constituted a committee to review the post-procedure complications that resulted in the death of two minor boys who underwent a bone marrow transplant and submit a report within 48 hours.

A hospital spokesman said the committee is led by Paediatric Gastroenterology Department head Prof Huma Arshad.

On Sept 19, under the supervision of Prof Tahir Shamsi and led by Dr Mehwish Faizan, a team of doctors had performed the first bone marrow transplant in a public hospital on two-and-a-half-year-old Bilal and four-year-old Aasher suffering from beta thalassaemia major.

The two boys had been donated marrows by their respective elder sisters. Both children had recovered completely after donation without any complication and were discharged from the hospital.

However, Bilal developed a post-condition mucositis (painful inflammation and ulceration of the mucous membranes lining the digestive track) which gradually worsened along with swelling in the neck and high grade fever after infusion of stem cells. Despite medication to control the infection and swelling, Bilal’s condition continued to deteriorate requiring ventilator support on Oct 1 and he died the following day.

The spokesman said the blood counts of Aasher did not show any evidence of bone marrow engraftment (primary graft failure), a well-known complication of the transplant. He continued to receive blood, platelet transfusion all along during the transplant period.

“White blood cells from different blood donors were transfused to Aasher daily to improve his cell count. Re-infusion of stem cells was also done but he could not survive and breathed his last on Oct 13.”

He also claimed the transplant unit had been closed for necessary cleanliness to bring it to zero-bug level and would reopen once ready as per protocol.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2017