Cleveland Clinic's New State-of-the-art Bone Marrow Transplant Unit and Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Processing Laboratory

Cleveland Clinic has performed more than
3,000 bone marrow transplants to date.

Brian Bolwell, MD, Chairman of the Department of Hematologic Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute and Vice Chief of Staff

"We're proud to be adding such valuable state-of-the-art technology and patient-centered amenities that will provide patients with the best possible surroundings to aid in their treatment and recovery here."

The Cryopreservation Area: Liquid nitrogen vapor phase freezers where the cellular products are stored.

A medical technologist is mixing the peripheral blood progenitor cell product prior to aliquoting for product testing.

Nurses and physicians from Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute recently celebrated the opening of a new Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Unit. The 22-bed unit features several unique elements specifically for an immune-compromised patient population, including a centralized air-handling system that filters all of the air on the floor every minute, removing 99.98 percent of potential pollutants. A dedicated restroom with a shower for family members also help protect patients' health, while amenities like wireless Internet, flat screen TVs with built-in DVD players, and large picture windows in every room help ease the burden of enduring the 3 to 6 week average stay for patients and their families.

Other features of the new unit include:

All patient rooms are private.
Bed chairs or reclining chairs for family/visitors.
Exercise room and nourishment room.
Fully wired for telemetry to monitor patients.
A washer and dryer for family use.

"With some of the highest BMT survival rates in the world and one of the largest BMT programs in the region, we're seeing an increase in patients requiring bone marrow transplant and highly-specialized acute care coming to Cleveland Clinic for their care," said Dr. Brian Bolwell, Chairman of the Department of Hematologic Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute and Vice Chief of Staff.

Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Processing Lab

Cleveland Clinic's Hematopoietic Progenitor Cell Processing (PCP) Laboratory recently relocated their facility as well. The new space allows for separate rooms for preparation, processing, and cryopreservation/storage.

The entire laboratory is monitored for temperature, humidity and differential air pressure. The redesign reduces opportunities for product contamination by creating unidirectional workflow through these specialized rooms.

About Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute

The Taussig Cancer Institute is one of 26 institutes at Cleveland Clinic that group multiple specialties together to provide collaborative, patient-centered care. More than 250 cancer specialists annually serve 26,000 cancer patients, applying the most effective techniques to achieve long-term survival and improved quality of life.

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