Search

Donation is one of the crucial points for allogeneic stem cells transplantation. Bone marrow harvesting or, more often now, peripheral blood stem cells collection must be safe for donor and contre-indications strictly observed. As familial transplantations are less and less performed, national registries have to be strengthened.

Cord blood transplantation is used to treat patients with malignant and nonmalignant hematopoietic diseases. This study assessed the feasibility of collecting cord blood for eventual transplantation to a sibling with such a disease.We studied the records of 47 infants from whom cord blood was collected for siblings from 1993 through 1999.During the study, cord blood was collected for 47 potential recipients: 37 (80.4%) with malignant disease and 9 (19.6%) with nonmalignant disease. Delivery was induced before 39 weeks of gestation. The mean volume collected was 107+/-39 mL and the number of nucleated cells was 11.52 x 10(8). Problems making collection difficult included: impossibility of collecting cord blood because of spontaneous delivery (n=1), the cytomegalovirus-positive serologic status of donor (n=7), and an inadequate number of nucleated cells (n=16). Weekday collection was possible for 60% of the donors. To date, only 7 of these cord blood collections have been used for stem cell transplantations.This retrospective study demonstrates the practical difficulties in collecting cord blood for transplantation to siblings, difficulties that may decrease the likelihood of success.