Bone Marrow Failure: A Case Study On Bone Marrow Fibrosis

Published on: 2017/09/07

Dr. Sreenivas UM, Physician, Arunai Neuro Centre, India

Abstract

Bone marrow is the spongy and soft part in the center of the bone. Bone marrow is where the body’s blood cells are produced. Bone marrow failure occurs when the body stops producing blood cells that are required for the body.

Interest Category

Bone marrow failure, cancer, Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), case studies

Do you want to read the full article?

.

Blood cells are vital for the functioning of our bodies. The primary role of blood cells is to carry oxygen to the entire body. Blood cells also include white blood cells and platelets, which help in fighting infection and blood to clot.

Bone marrow is the spongy and soft part in the center of the bone. Bone marrow is where the body’s blood cells are produced. Bone marrow failure occurs when the body stops producing blood cells that are required for the body.

What causes bone marrow failure?

Bone marrow failure largely depends on the type of blood cells that it fails to produce. Bone marrow failure can be genetically inherited or congenital.

Aplastic anemia is the most common cause of bone marrow failure. In this case, the hematopoietic stem cells on bone marrow are damaged and the body cannot produce blood cells.

Fanconi anemia is a genetic disorder in which there is an abnormal breakage in DNA genes.

Dyskeratosis congenita is another condition in which the person will have skin pigmentations, mucosa leukoplakia, and abnormal growth of fingernails.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)

It is also a genetically inherited disorder in which the body fails to produce enough blood cells. In this disorder, the body produces impaired stem cells. In the case of Aplastic anemia, the production of blood cell declines or stops whereas, in MDS, the body produces immature or deformed blood cells, which may not develop into healthy components of the blood. These blood cells do not function properly in the bloodstream.

Treatment for bone marrow failure

Treatment for bone marrow failure depends on the severity of the disorder. Some of the common treatment options include

  1. Blood transfusion
  2. Stem cell transplant
  3. Bone marrow transplant with chemotherapy and radiotherapy

Read more – A case study on bone marrow failure explained by Dr. Sreenivas U.M with a case report of early myelofibrosis

Myelofibrosis

It is an uncommon and serious bone marrow disorder that interrupts the blood cell production in the body. It is a type of chronic leukemia, that affects the blood-forming tissue of the body. The main cause of myelofibrosis is a genetic mutation of stem cells.

Symptoms of myelofibrosis

  1. Anemia due to low production of red blood cells
  2. Pale skin
  3. Shortness of breath
  4. Cold feet or hands
  5. Irregular heartbeats
  6. Dizziness
  7. Bleeding gums
  8. Nosebleeds
  9. Enlarged spleen, causing pain below the ribs
  10. High blood pressure
  11. Bone and joint pain

Treatments for myelofibrosis

Blood transfusion, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, stem cell transplant, JAKs inhibitors are some of the treatments that are prescribed by doctors.

SIGN UP