New Delhi: Two patients of radiation exposure
have not shown any remarkable improvement even after a
treatment to stimulate bone marrow, doctors say.
"We tried using Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor
(GCSF) to stimulate the bone marrow to produce cells. There
was no improvement in the cell count," Brigadier Velu Nair of
Army Hospital Research and Referral said today about two
patients under treatment there.
However, Lieutenant General Naresh Kumar, Commandant,
AHRR said, "Of late, both the patients have shown some healing
the natural way. The blood count of Deepak Jain (32) has shown
an upward trend and a good portion of Ajay Jain`s (40) burnt
skin has healed with no help of skin grafting."
He also said, "Prospective donors for bone marrow
transplant (BMT) for both patients have been recognised."
They are of the six patients of radiation exposure
undergoing treatment at the AHR&R after having suffered a
suppressed bone marrow.
Brigadier Nair, the head of the Department of Haematology
and Bone Marrow Transplant, said "We will wait and see if
the patients` bone marrow regenerates over the next few weeks,
then it is fine. However, if bone marrow failure is
established, then we are prepared to carry out BMT."
BMT is recommended for patients with radiation exposure
with severe degree of haemotological toxicity where there is
extremely low blood count or bone marrow is severly supressed.
Also, it is necessary that no other vital organs has been
damaged which limits the usefulness of the BMT because of the
high morbidity and mortality involved in such cases.
BMT has been done on 31 patients of radiation exposure
worldwide of which only four have survived, Brigadier Nair
said.
"The cause of death of the 27 patients was due to
multi-organ injury after radiation exposure. Transplant
outcome will be better if there are no severe injury to vital
organs," Brigadier Nair said.
PTI
