Thalassemia Treatment

Thalassemia treatment is determined by the type and severity of thalassemia. Patients with thalassemia minor usually do not need special care. Patients with thalassemia major require treatment in the form of:
Repeated blood transfusion

Patients with thalassemia major must undergo a blood transfusion every few weeks. Before performing a blood transfusion, the patient's blood and donor blood will be matched to avoid adverse reactions.

Although necessary, repeated blood transfusions can cause iron buildup in the body. This condition can cause complications in the form of liver disease or heart disease.

To avoid this, patients must take chelation treatment. Medications given as part of this therapy may be in the form of tablets or injections and work to draw iron from the body. Examples of drugs are deferiprone, deferasirox and deferoxamine. Flatfoot therapy will begin one or two years after the patient's routine blood transfusion.
Bone marrow transplantation
This procedure is done to replace the bone marrow affected by thalassemia. The bone marrow to be transplanted comes from healthy donors and is suitable for those affected, so that the bone marrow can produce normal blood cells.

Unfortunately, the risk of this procedure is quite serious, namely the patient's rejection of the donor bone marrow. Therefore, the benefits and risks of treating thalassemia with a bone marrow transplant must be thoroughly discussed with the doctor. This procedure is generally recommended only for severe thalassemia.
Spleen elimination surgery
Surgical procedure to remove the spleen (splenectomy) is done if the spleen is very large, because enlargement of the spleen organ (splenomegaly) will worsen the anemia suffered by the patient.

But before surgery, patients will be asked to carry out vaccinations, such as vaccines against hepatitis B, pneumonia and meningitis. This is done because the patient will have a higher risk of infection after removal of the spleen.
Set a healthy lifestyle

Thalassemia sufferers must lead a healthy life and it is recommended to eat foods low in fat, vegetables and fruits. Patients should limit foods that contain iron, such as beef and chicken liver.

It is also important to exercise regularly. However, you should first consult with your doctor about the type of exercise that is safe and its intensity.

To protect against infection, patients are advised to wash their hands diligently and limit interactions with patients. This protection is needed especially for patients who have undergone surgical removal of the spleen.

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