Umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) has been increasingly used to treat malignant and non-malignant haematological, immunodeficiency and some metabolic diseases. UCBT offers the advantages of easy procurement, no risk to donors, a reduced risk of transmitting infections, immediate availability of cryopreserved units, and acceptable partial HLA mismatches. However, patients treated with UCBT show delayed hematopoietic and immunological recoveries, have higher rates of infection, and relapse from the original malignant disease, which can all lead to life threatening problems. UCBT can also result in a higher rate of graft failure compared to other hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) sources. The problem of a slower hematopoietic recovery post-UCBT has been addressed using a number of different approaches in adult patients.In adults, use of intrabone injection of cord blood results in a faster hematopoietic recovery in a phase II study. However, there is no clinical trial in pediatric patients.~This study is addressed to determine if a change in the cord blood stem cell infusion method can increase and accelerate hematopoietic reconstitution after UCBT in pediatric patients.
The purpose of this study is to determine if the method of intrabone infusion of hematologic stem cells can increase and accelerate hematopoietic reconstitution after umbilical cord blood transplantation in pediatric patients.