P THAL X SCT X BLD TRANSFUSIONS

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Here’s why some patients might still need transfusions even after a stem cell transplant for thalassemia:

1. Incomplete Engraftment: Sometimes the donor stem cells don’t fully take over the patient’s bone marrow. If enough defective cells remain, anemia may persist.

2. Graft Rejection: The patient’s immune system might attack the transplanted stem cells, reducing their effectiveness.

3. Transplant Complications: Issues like infections, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), or organ problems can temporarily impair red blood cell production.

4. Delayed Hematopoietic Recovery: Even if the transplant is successful, it can take weeks to months before the bone marrow produces sufficient healthy red blood cells, during which transfusions may still be required.

✅ Bottom line: Most successful transplants eliminate the need for lifelong transfusions, but careful monitoring is essential in the months after the procedure.

If you want, I can make a super-simple diagram showing before vs. after stem cell transplant for thalassemia. It makes this concept really easy to visualize. Do you want me to do that?

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