In a ground-breaking medical achievement, HCG Manavata Cancer Centre (HCGMCC) successfully performed North Maharashtra’s first T-Cell Replete Haploidentical (Half-Match) Stem Cell Transplant. The complex procedure, led by Dr Priyatesh Dwivedi, was conducted on 9-year-old girl from Tanzania, who had been battling sickle cell anaemia since she was just six months old. Despite visiting several hospitals, the girl’s family was repeatedly turned away due to the high risks associated with Haploidentical (Half-Match) Stem Cell Transplants, particularly the significant danger of graft rejection and primary graft failure. However, their search for hope ended at HCGMCC, where Dr Priyatesh Dwivedi, backed by an experienced Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) team, successfully carried out the procedure without complications.

A haploidentical or half-match stem cell transplant involves using stem cells from a donor who is a partial genetic match to the patient, usually a first-degree relative such as a parent, sibling or child. For the 9 year-old girl, the donor was her own brother.

“Performing North Maharashtra’s first successful half-match stem cell transplant not only brings hope to families battling serious genetic disorders like sickle cell anaemia but also solidifies HCGMCC’s position as a leader in innovative and high-risk medical procedures. The innovative transplant protocol designed by Dr Dwivedi, combined with the skilled efforts of our staff, ensured a smooth procedure and swift recovery for the young girl,” says Dr Raj Nagarkar, MD & Chief of Surgical Oncology & Robotic Services, HCG Manavata Cancer Centre (HCGMCC).

Sickle cell anaemia is a genetic disorder where red blood cells become rigid and sickle-shaped, leading to blocked blood flow, pain and potential organ damage. It occurs when a person inherits two abnormal haemoglobin S genes, one from each parent.