A patient who has received a bone marrow transplant develops a maculopapular rash on the palms of both hands and the soles of the feet. The patient complains of severe abdominal pain with bloody diarrhea. What should the nurse suspect this patient is experiencing?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The maculopapular rash on the palms of both hands and the soles of the feet is a classic symptom of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), which can occur when the transplanted bone marrow cells perceive the patient's body as foreign and attack healthy cells. The severe abdominal pain with bloody diarrhea is also a common symptom of GVHD. Chronic and acute tissue rejection typically do not present with these symptoms, and hyperacute tissue rejection is a rare and immediate reaction that occurs during the transplantation procedure itself.

A Patient Who Has Received a Bone Marrow Transplant Develops