Thalassemia Treatment in Turkey
About Thalassemia
Key Highlights
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Offers a potential cure for severe thalassemia, eliminating the need for lifelong transfusions.Can restore the body's ability to produce healthy, functional hemoglobin.Prevents long-term complications of iron overload from repeated transfusions.Improves overall quality of life and life expectancy for eligible patients.Utilizes advanced medical technology for precise donor matching and supportive care.
Who is this surgery for?
- Patients diagnosed with beta-thalassemia major (Cooley's anemia) who are transfusion-dependent.
- Individuals with severe thalassemia who have a matched sibling donor (ideal scenario).
- Patients for whom matched unrelated donors or haploidentical (partially matched) donors are available, following rigorous evaluation.
- Younger patients (often children or young adults) who are in good general health aside from their thalassemia.
- Cases where iron overload has begun to cause organ damage despite chelation therapy.
How to prepare
- Comprehensive evaluation including blood tests, imaging (heart, liver), and assessment of organ function.
- Identification and HLA-typing of a suitable donor (sibling, unrelated registry, or family member).
- Administration of conditioning therapy (chemotherapy +/- radiation) to destroy the existing bone marrow and suppress the immune system.
- Central line placement (e.g., Hickman catheter) for administering medications, stem cells, and blood products.
- Pre-transplant counseling for the patient and family regarding the process, risks, and recovery.
- Preventive measures against infections, including protective isolation protocols.
Risks & possible complications
- Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), where donor immune cells attack the patient's body.
- Graft failure, where the donor stem cells do not engraft and produce new blood cells.
- Severe infections due to a weakened immune system during the neutropenic period.
- Complications from the conditioning regimen, including organ damage (liver, lungs, heart).
- Bleeding and anemia until the new marrow begins to function.
- Long-term effects such as infertility, growth issues in children, or secondary cancers.
Recovery & hospital stay
- Initial hospital stay in a sterile environment to prevent infection while blood counts recover.
- Close monitoring for signs of engraftment (rising blood counts), GVHD, and infections.
- Medications to prevent/treat GVHD (immunosuppressants) and prevent infections (antibiotics, antivirals).
- Regular blood and platelet transfusions may be needed until the new marrow is fully functional.
- Gradual reintroduction to a normal environment over several months with ongoing precautions.
- Lifelong follow-up with the transplant team to monitor for late complications and ensure sustained graft function.
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Typical hospital stay:
4-6 weeks
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Expected recovery time:
6-12 months for full immune recovery
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are considering thalassemia in Turkey, these questions and answers can help you make a confident, informed decision.
Popular choices for thalassemia in Turkey include Istinye Üniversitesi Hastanesi Liv, VM Medical Park Pendik Hastanesi, Medical Park Florya, Medical Park Bahçelievler, Liv Hospital Ankara, known for experienced specialists and advanced surgical infrastructure.
Look at the doctor’s years of experience, hospital association, patient reviews, and how often they perform thalassemia. MediFyr helps you compare bone marrow transplant specialists and book consultations online.
The overall cost depends on hospital category, surgeon’s experience, room type, implant or device used (if any), length of stay, tests, and post-operative care. Our team can help you get cost estimates from multiple hospitals before you decide.
Procedure cost in other countries
Here is an overview of how the estimated cost, hospital stay, and recovery time for thalassemia compare across other countries where we have data.
Top hospitals for Thalassemia in Turkey
These partner hospitals in Turkey have dedicated bone marrow transplantation teams and experience managing patients undergoing thalassemia.
Istanbul, Turkey
140 Doctors
Myra Bhatia, a 28-year-old architect from...
Myra Bhatia, a 28-year-old architect from Mumbai, had battled Beta Thalassemia Major since infancy. Her life revolved around monthly blood transfusions and daily iron chelation therapy, which left her perpetually fatigued and unable to pursue her career fully. Frequent transfusions had led to dangerous iron overload, damaging her heart and liver. Her hematologist, Dr. Kapoor, recommended a bone marrow transplant as the only potential cure, given her deteriorating organ function. A perfect HLA match was found in her younger brother. The treatment was grueling; high-dose chemotherapy wiped out her defective marrow, and the transplant process itself was isolating in a sterile room for weeks. Post-transplant, she faced complications like graft-versus-host disease, managed with immunosuppressants. After a year of recovery, her body accepted the new marrow. She no longer needs transfusions. Emotionally, Myra moved from a lifetime of resigned dependence to initial terror of the transplant's risks, then through the pain of recovery, and finally to a profound, tearful gratitude for a second chance at a transfusion-free life.