How Stem Cell Center Germany works
Procedure for Isolation of hematopoietic stem cells
The procedure to enrich, harvest, process and cryopreserve blood stem cells requires some efforts. Once you apply to undergo this procedure, the following steps have to be accomplished:
- Application process and scheduling
- Medical Check Up to ascertain if the individual is medically suitable for the blood stem cell collection and storage
- Injections of a medicine to enrich stem cells in the blood
- Harvest of the stem cells circulating in the blood, using apheresis at the Blood Donation Center of the German Red Cross
- Cryopreservation of stem cells at the harvesting center
- Follow-up medical checks
The Isolation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells in Brief:
- Donor's stem cells mobilized from bone marrow into blood by administration of a biological medicine (G-CSF) for five days
- Isolation, or collection, of stem cells from peripheral blood. For the purposes of Stem Cell Center activities, isolation is done by apheresis, a method similar to dialysis.
- Using the same method, about 30.000 healthy donors per year undergo stem cell collection for allogeneic SCT, i.e. SCT for patients.
Stem Cell Center Germany offers two packages to enrich, harvest and cryopreserve one’s own blood stem cells for prophylactic storage:
Stem cell mobilization is not a frequently performed medical intervention. The knowledge about contra-indications and ability to manage a mobilization is restricted to a finite number of physicians specifically experienced in the field. We are working with a network of physicians with this rare qualification; only individuals cleared for mobilization and apheresis by one of our networking partners is acceptable. Your safety is paramount to us.
Both options – the relaxed and the power option – have the same medical quality and procedures. In the Relaxed Option the diagnostic and treatment is spread out over more days and followed by one day of relaxation and recovery. The Power Package follows for a tighter schedule in order to finish the complete procedure more quickly.
However, if required, the Medical Check-Up, diagnostics and the administration of the injections can be executed by our doctors’ network, also in your home town, if this can be organized by our medical team or network. In that case only a two-day stay in Frankfurt is required for the apheresis and follow-up examination.
Relaxed Option (10days):
Note: 4 days for free usage (only two times per day injections), no presence in Frankfurt required
Procedure
Day 1
Arrival (Frankfurt); blood draw
Day 2, 3
Medical Check-Up, health education, if eligible: first injections on day 3 (Frankfurt, Medical Practices)
Day 4, 5, 6
Injections to enrich blood stem cells, 2x per day (shopping, leisure or business meetings possible)
Day 7
In the morning, last injection, then apheresis (harvesting of the blood stem cells) (Frankfurt, Blood Donation Center of the German Red Cross)
- Harvesting of the stem cells in an apheresis session (similar to dialysis; duration five hours)
- Cryopreservation and storage of the hematopoietic stem cells at German Red Cross Blood Donation Centre in Frankfurt for 30 years – duration of storage can be extended
Day 8
Follow-Up (Frankfurt, Blood Donation Center of the German Red Cross and / or Medical Practices)
Day 9
Relaxation and recovery (travel, shopping, leisure or business meetings possible)
Day 10
Departure
Follow-Up medical check a couple of months later
Power Option (7days):
Absence from work: approx. 2 days
Total duration: 7 days
Note: 3 days for free usage (only two times per day injections), no presence in Frankfurt required
Procedure
Day 1
Arrival at Frankfurt and first medical consultations (Frankfurt, Medical Practices)
Day 2
Medical Check-Up, health education, if eligible: first injection in the afternoon (Frankfurt, Medical Practices)
Day 3, 4, 5
Injections to enrich blood stem cells, 2x per day (travel, shopping, leisure or business meetings possible)
Day 6
In the morning last injection, then apheresis (harvesting of the blood stem cells) (Frankfurt, Blood Donation Center of the German Red Cross)
- Harvesting of the stem cells in an apheresis session (similar to dialysis; duration five hours)
- Cryopreservation and storage of the hematopoietic stem cells at German Red Cross Blood Donation Centre in Frankfurt for 30 years – duration of storage can be extended
Day 7
Follow-Up (Frankfurt, Blood Donation Center of the German Red Cross and / or Medical Practices)
Optional: Departure at day 8
Follow-Up medical check a couple of months later