Saved by his own cord blood – 19 years later

When Xiao An was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia at age 18, his parents were grateful for a decision they’d made at his birth – storing his cord blood stem cells.

The teenager had suddenly developed symptoms including ulcers and blood spots. Tests revealed he had aplastic anemia, a serious autoimmune condition where the body attacks its own bone marrow, potentially leading to complete bone marrow failure.

Hope came in the form of his own cord blood stem cells, stored at Tianjin Cord Blood Bank since birth. After testing confirmed the stem cells were in perfect condition even after nearly two decades in storage, Xiao An underwent a transplant at Beijing Lu Daopei Hospital.

The treatment proved successful. Within a month, Xiao An was released from intensive care, and shortly after, he returned to normal life. His case represents the longest storage period for successfully used autologous cord blood in China.

“I didn’t expect that the umbilical cord blood saved for the child would actually save the child’s life all these years later!” said Xiao An’s father. The family’s decision to store their son’s cord blood – made when cord blood banking was still in its infancy in China – ultimately proved lifesaving. Today, Xiao An is back enjoying a normal, healthy life with his family.

Note: Treatment protocols for Aplastic Anemia typically prioritize finding an unrelated donor match. However, in cases where no suitable donor is found and the condition is “acquired” rather than genetic, doctors use the patient’s own stored cord blood stem cells to restore their immune system.