In a first for South Tamil Nadu, Meenakshi Super Speciality Hospital has successfully performed a highly specialised bone marrow transplant procedure known as TCR alpha-beta depleted haploidentical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation which is also known as bone marrow transplantation in seven-month-old identical twin infants diagnosed with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), a rare genetic disorder, which if left untreated, will severely impair the body’s ability to fight infections and thereby leading to risk to life.
The treatment works by replacing the child’s defective immune system with blood-forming stem cells from a healthy donor. What makes this case particularly significant is that the transplant was performed using stem cells from a half-matched (haploidentical) donor, as no fully matched donor was available either within the family or through external donor registries.
Traditionally, such transplants carry a significant risk of Graft-versus-Host Disease (GVHD), a serious complication in which donor immune cells attack the recipient’s tissues. To overcome this challenge, the hospital employed advanced TCR alpha-beta depletion technology. This technique selectively removes TCR alpha-beta T lymphocytes, the immune cells primarily responsible for causing GVHD, while preserving other beneficial immune cells.
In the case of the twins, their father became the half-matched donor. Following the successful transplantation, both twins achieved stable immune system, indicating that the transplanted stem cells had taken hold and started functioning normally in their bodies. They are recovering well without any major complications.
This ṃedical milestone was achieved by the transplant team led by Dr. Kasi Viswanathan T, Senior Consultant and HOD - Department of Haematology & Bone Marrow Transplant and his team of Doctors Dr Annapoorani RM, Senior Consultant, Associate Consultants Dr Anitha.V, and Dr Venkateswaran VS. Commenting on the achievement, he said, “This landmark success marks a first for Southern Tamil Nadu and reflects our commitment in making advanced, world-class healthcare accessible closer to the home. The procedure offers renewed hope to children and families affected by life-threatening Inborn Errors of Immunity (IEI) and demonstrates our capability to deliver highly specialised treatments within the region.”
On the highlights of the innovative procedure, Dr. Kasi Viswanathan added, “Children born with severe immune deficiencies are extremely vulnerable to recurrent and potentially life-threatening infections. With the high rate of consanguinous marriage these genetic disorders are in increase which needs to be diagnosed early by the treating pediatrician as most of these disorders can be cured by bone marrow transplantation with good outcome especially if done early. TCR alpha-beta depletion technology has transformed transplantation by enabling safer half-matched donor transplants, significantly reducing the risk of graft-versus-host disease while promoting effective immune recovery. This advancement has expanded access to life-saving treatment and is offering new hope to families affected by these rare but devastating disorders.”
Urging the importance of early diagnosis, he said, “Children who experience frequent, severe, unusual, or difficult-to-treat infections and any history of sibling death especially due to infection should alert us to think that the child may have an underlying IEI. Key warning signs include recurrent ear and sinus infections, repeated chest infections(pneumonia), poor growth, persistent fungal infections, deep-seated infections, and a family history of the condition. Recognising these signs early and seeking timely medical evaluation can be life-saving and significantly improve long-term outcomes.”
Mr. Dileep Bernard from the hospital was also present in this event.