TEHRAN, Aug. 16 (MNA) – Umbilical cord blood stem cells of a girl was used to treat his brother’s thalassemia.

An Iranian younger sister’s umbilical cord blood stem cells which were stored in Royan Cord Blood Bank (RCBB) were used to save her 6-year-old brother suffering from thalassemia.

The successful transplantation happened when the doctors of Shariati Hospital realized the only way to treat the patient is to use his 2-year-old sister’s stem cells saved since her birthday in RCBB.

Now, after several months of transplantation, the outcome evaluation is very satisfactory and hematological values of the patient is completely normal.

Umbilical cord blood is blood that remains in the placenta and in the attached umbilical cord after childbirth. Cord blood is collected because it contains stem cells, which can be used to treat hematopoietic and genetic disorders in the future.

Royan Cord Blood Bank was founded in 2005 to take steps to obtain sustainable health in Iran. It also takes the advantage of a large group of Iranian Immunologists, Hematologists and Oncologists.

LR/3742658