Yerevan/Mediamax/. Haematology Center named after Prof. R. Yolyan realized today the blood-forming stem cell transplant procedure.

Armenian Ministry of Healthcare noted that Director of Stem Cell Transplantation Department at University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf Nicolaus Kroger and the transplantation team of the Center implemented the procedure.

Head of the Yolyan Center Smbat Daghbashyan informed that the recipient of the first such transplant in Armenia is a myeloma patient, 50-year-old woman from Artsakh. The only way to prolong her life was to transplant the stem cells.

“Yerevan already has a place on the global transplant map, and we have all possibilities to cure patients from other countries as well,” Smbat Daghbashyan said.

“I congratulate my Armenian colleagues on introducing the latest methods of treatment of malignant blood diseases in this center. The first step has been made. There will be challenges and difficulties, but we will continue cooperation and long-distance supervision of the whole process,” Nicolaus Kroger said.

According to the official data, around 60 patients annually need transplant in Armenia.

Bone marrow/stem cell transplant is implemented in treatment of certain diseases (acute leukemia, lymphadenoma, some types of anemia).

The transplant is carried out in several steps. Completion of the procedure can take up to 1 month.