 Hi, I am Dr. Vinay, consultant in Pediatric Hematology, Pediatric Oncology and bone marrow transplantation services at Manipal Hospital in Eshwampur. Bone marrow transplantation is a modality of treatment where the defective stem cells are replaced by normal healthy bone marrow. This procedure is performed in a specialized unit called bone marrow transplantation unit and it is a medical procedure and not a surgical operation. To tell about the stages of bone marrow transplant, broadly we classify it into three phases. The first phase is the preparatory phase wherein we look at the disease and control it. We evaluate the patient and make him prepared for the bone marrow transplant and simultaneously we will look for a suitable healthy donor wherein we do some specialized tests like HLA matching. In the second phase, the patient is admitted to a bone marrow transplant unit. Bone marrow transplant unit is a sterile zone which has HEPA-filtred positive pressure ventilated isolation rooms. The patient needs to be nursed here for about three to four weeks because he is at a high risk of infections. During this phase, the stem cells that are collected from the donor is infused into the patient and it takes about two to three weeks for the stem cell to start producing normal functional blood cells. This is followed by a third phase called the post transplant phase. In the post transplant phase, the patient usually recovers his blood system and there is a complete reboot of his blood and the immunological system. This cures him of the disease that we have transplanted for. It takes about six to twelve months for the patient to go through the third phase. However, the patient need not stay in the hospital during this time. During the entire procedure, the patient may be admitted for about four to five weeks in the bone marrow transplant unit. The preparatory phase may last somewhere between one to three weeks and the post transplant phase about six to twelve months. The patient may have to stay closer to the hospital for about three months during this time of treatment. Thank you.