Dr. Anna Torrent coordinates since November 2016 the Follow-Up Service for Post-transplant Side Effects in bone marrow transplant recipients at the ICO Badalona - Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol. This 30 year old haematologist opens her practice up to explain first hand her day-to-day work, as well as the importance of this service driven by the DKMS Foundation.
The hematologist Anna Torrent coordinates the follow-up service of side effects in patients who have undergone a bone marrow transplant.
1. What is the post-transplant side effects follow-up service?
We have created a multidisciplinary unit which monitors and does a follow-up of patients who have undergone a bone marrow transplant for an early detection of complications caused by this surgery. This is a pioneering service, which we had to start from scratch, composed of a referring haematologist who in turn coordinates with doctors from various specialities. At this point, we have already begun to contact and visit the first patients in order to work with them. Specifically, in our hospital we have identified 77 people to be included in the project.
2. What kind of patients do you deal with on a daily basis?
They are patients who underwent bone marrow transplantation more than two years ago. They have suffered greatly since they had to cope with a very serious illness being a bone marrow transplant their only curative option, a long and intensive process. They are physically and mentally very strong, as they have come this far overcoming countless inconveniences. In addition, they are well informed about haematology and they have an ample knowledge about their disease. Medically a specific monitoring and follow-up is needed, since they have received very aggressive treatments with chemotherapy, corticosteroids and high doses of toxicants.
3. What are these patients’ most common problems physically and psychologically?
The transplant process and the subsequent recovery period, which usually lasts a year or even longer, is very hard. During this time they stop working or having daily contact with their friends, they cannot go everywhere nor do some things they used to do. Accordingly, it is very difficult to return to a normal life after this process: they often don’t feel well, they get tired sooner and they have different physical problems resulting from the surgery. Anyhow, the worst part is the emotional and psychological one since it is an exhausting process and overcoming it requires a major effort. Their life quality turns upside down.
At the DKMS Foundation we have promoted this pioneering service at ICO Badalona - Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol. The ultimate goal is that the detection of side effects be more agile and fast.
4. How do check-ups work?
I join the haematologists performing routine check-ups to transplanted patients at the hospital and they introduce me. Hereon I meet them and I analyse their entire clinical record, reviewing their history and risk factors that could cause different complications. They are quite long visits where they are asked about many issues: doctors they see, exercise they do, food they eat, how they feel ... I check everything and if I see a potential problem, I refer them to the appropriate specialist. My role is somewhat that of a family doctor but of transplant patients. I always leave open doors for them to come and see me if anything comes up.
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