Stem cell 'bath' for Ipswich Hospital cancer ward

The bath defrosts cells which have been frozen at -190C

Cancer patients in remission at a Suffolk hospital can have their own cells transplanted back to them with the use of a new piece of equipment.

The stem-cell bath defrosts frozen cells taken from people recovering from blood cancers myeloma, leukaemia and lymphoma at Ipswich Hospital.

When transplanted back to the patient following treatment the cells can help their body create new bone marrow.

The bath cuts down on the need for patients to travel to other hospitals.

The stem cells are stored at -190C in liquid nitrogen and can be kept for several years at the national blood transfusion centre in Cambridge.

They are then brought up to body temperature in just two minutes using the bath, the hospital said.

Hermione Warner-Charlick, haematology clinical nurse specialist, said: "The new bath is important because it quickly defrosts the frozen cells to give them back to the patient safely."