Yas Clinic partners with ADSCC to perform urgent bone marrow transplant in Abu Dhabi
The AD BMT® program at Yas Clinic Khalifa City and ADSCC manages pediatric and adult cases requiring specialized transplantation, including immune disorders, rare genetic diseases and other high risk conditions.
UAE—Yas Clinic Khalifa City, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Center (ADSCC), has performed an urgent bone marrow transplant on a two-year-old child with Hyper IgM syndrome through the Abu Dhabi Bone Marrow Transplant Program (AD BMT®).
The child, Kai, developed severe and recurrent infections early in life.
His condition later became critical, requiring intensive care and respiratory support.
He also developed cytomegalovirus infection affecting his blood and lungs, as well as Pneumocystis pneumonia, a serious infection that can affect people with severely weakened immune systems.
After treatment for the infections, Kai received monthly immunoglobulin replacement therapy to support his immune system.
However, his condition remained unstable, and he continued to require blood and platelet transfusions.
His immune system also failed to recover sufficiently, leaving him at continued risk of serious infections and other complications.
Following a multidisciplinary assessment, doctors determined that a bone marrow transplant was urgently required to address the underlying immune deficiency.
Haploidentical donor
Kai’s mother was identified as a half-matched, or haploidentical, donor.
While the medical team stabilized Kai and managed his complications, specialists prepared both the donor and recipient for transplantation within a limited timeframe.
The transplant was successfully completed, and the donor cells subsequently began to engraft and function.
Kai’s condition has gradually improved, and he currently has no signs of active infection. He remains clinically stable as he prepares to return home with his family.
Dr. Maysoon Al Karam, Chief Medical Officer at Yas Clinic Khalifa City, said successful transplantation requires specialized expertise, infrastructure and the ability to respond quickly to changes in a patient’s condition.
She said the partnership between Yas Clinic and ADSCC enabled the teams to assess Kai’s condition, identify a suitable donor, and proceed with transplantation while his condition remained critical.
Dr. Mansi, a consultant in pediatric hematology, oncology, and bone marrow transplantation, and Kai’s treating physician, said the child’s recurrent infections and inadequate immune recovery made an urgent transplant necessary.
She said Kai’s mother was identified as a half-matched donor and that the multidisciplinary teams worked quickly to prepare him for the procedure.
Following the transplant, the donor cells began functioning, while Kai remained free of active infection and clinically stable.
Treating the underlying immune deficiency
Hyper IgM Syndrome is a group of rare inherited immune deficiencies that impair the body’s ability to produce an effective antibody response.
As a result, affected children can experience recurrent and potentially serious infections.
For eligible patients, bone marrow transplantation can replace the defective immune system with donor-derived immune cells and address the underlying deficiency.
Haploidentical transplantation also allows a partially matched parent or family member to serve as a donor when a fully matched donor is unavailable.
The AD BMT® program at Yas Clinic Khalifa City and ADSCC manages pediatric and adult cases requiring specialized transplantation, including immune disorders, rare genetic diseases, and other high-risk conditions.
The partnership combines Yas Clinic’s multidisciplinary clinical services with ADSCC’s expertise in stem cell science, laboratory medicine, and cellular therapies, supporting care from diagnosis and donor selection through transplantation and follow-up.
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