Urgent bone marrow transplant saves life of two-month-old baby in UAE

 Yas Clinic saved the life of a two-month-old baby girl after she underwent an urgent bone marrow transplant at a time when time was running out and treatment options were almost nonexistent. 

The Pakistani baby, Ayra, arrived in Abu Dhabi in critical condition, unable to resist even the simplest infections, while her health was deteriorating at an alarming rate. 

Before arriving at the hospital, Ayra spent weeks in a Dubai hospital, connected to a ventilator and suffering from severe chest and blood infections. Despite all intensive care efforts, her condition did not improve, and doctors began to suspect a deeper problem. Advanced tests revealed that Ayra suffered from severe immunodeficiency, a rare disorder in which a child is born without a real ability to fight any infection. 

The situation became even more painful when the parents explained that their eldest child had died at the age of a year and a half as a result of a similar problem that had not been diagnosed at the time. This information was the key that led the doctors at Yas Clinic to the correct diagnosis and to the only hope of saving Ayra. 

A view of the Yas Clinic in Abu Dhabi.

When she arrived at Yas Clinic Khalifa City, Ayra was fighting off three serious viruses at the same time: cytomegalovirus, adenovirus, and pneumocystis pneumonia, while her lungs and blood pressure levels were working very hard and her immune system was almost completely absent. 

In the midst of this race against time, an unexpected surprise sparked a glimmer of hope when tests showed that her father was a perfect match with her in human leukocyte antigen tests, which proved the compatibility of blood samples for bone marrow transplantation, something that was very rare in such urgent cases. 

Ayra, however, was too weak to be given chemotherapy or the usual pre-transplant preparation, as this would have posed a great risk to her life. Based on this, the medical team had to perform an emergency bone marrow transplant directly and without preparation using her father’s healthy cells in the hope that her body would restore its ability to fight the aggressive viruses. 

Led by Dr. Mansi Sachdev, Clinical Lead & Consultant, Pediatric Hematology, Oncology & Bone Marrow Transplant, the transplant team moved quickly, realizing that every minute could make a difference. 

“We had no other option to save Ayra’s life. As she was too weak to withstand chemotherapy, we relied on her father’s cells to restore her body’s ability to resist infection. The decision was risky but it was the only hope,” said Dr. Sachdev. 

Today, just two months after the transplant, Ayra is experiencing an amazing transformation. She was off the ventilator more than a month ago and is breathing normally without any support. The three viruses have completely disappeared from her body and she is eating well and gradually regaining her strength. She is expected to be discharged from the hospital very soon. 

The story of Ayra, who was on the brink of death, has today become a story of healing, hope and a childhood that smiles again, a testament to the level of expertise and readiness provided by the bone marrow transplant team at Yas Clinic. 

Dr. Maysoon Al Karam, Chief Medical Officer at Yas Clinic, said, “This operation embodies the advanced level of medical excellence at Yas Clinic. Dealing with a child of this age and with this general weakness without prior pre-transplant preparation requires exceptional expertise and careful co-ordination. Ayra’s recovery highlights our commitment to providing world-class care and enhancing Abu Dhabi’s position as a leading hub for specialized care.” 

Ayra’s story not only highlights the importance of early diagnosis and intervention, but also underscores the crucial role of family support and the preparedness of specialized teams. Thanks to this collaboration, this child was given a new lease on life.