Pulmonary embolism with bone fragments following vertebral body marrow infusion for tolerance induction

• Published in: Cell transplantation Vol. 5; no. 4; p. 513
• Main Authors: Fernandez, L A, Romaguera, R, Viciana, A L, Ruiz, P, Tzakis, A G, Ricordi, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.1996
• Subjects: Bezoars; Bone and Bones; Bone Marrow Transplantation - methods; Child, Preschool; Dacarbazine; Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous - surgery; Fatal Outcome; Fibrosis - etiology; Fibrosis - surgery; Hemorrhage; Humans; Intestine, Small - transplantation; Liver Failure - etiology; Liver Failure - surgery; Liver Transplantation; Male; Parenteral Nutrition, Total - adverse effects; Postoperative Complications; Pulmonary Embolism - etiology; Pulmonary Embolism - pathology; Short Bowel Syndrome - etiology; Short Bowel Syndrome - therapy; Transplantation, Homologous
• ISSN: 0963-6897
• DOI: 10.1016/0963-6897(96)00026-7

Protocols of donor bone marrow infusion for tolerance induction are receiving increasing attention in clinical trials of organ allotransplantation. We report pulmonary embolism with bone fragments following vertebral body marrow infusion in a recipient of a liver and intestinal transplant. Even though pulmonary embolism with bony microfragments has been widely described following bone marrow transplantation, the use of single, high-dose donor bone marrow infusion and/or multiple infusions currently under clinical investigation for induction of donor specific unresponsiveness, may warrant the implementation of additional steps in the vertebral body marrow processing technique to decrease or eliminate the component of bony microfragments in the final preparation.