BONE MARROW FAQ's
What is bone marrow and what does it do?
Bone marrow is the soft, spongy material at the center of the bone that produces many of the important components of blood, such as white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets.
How is a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy done?
The patient is placed in a prone position (on his/her stomach with the head turned to their side) or on one side in the fetal position. The physician will inject the biopsy site (the right or left hip) with a local anesthetic. This anesthetic will cause a temporary numbing of the site that will go away in approximately 4 hours. The doctor then inserts a special hollow needle into the bone and suctions out a small amount of the bone marrow and then, with the same needle, removes a tiny piece of bone. The needle is in your hip only for a very short period of time. The marrow and bone specimens are sent to a pathologist for analysis. Results are usually available within a week.
Why is it necessary to have a bone marrow biopsy?
This test was done to diagnose conditions of the blood and blood-making tissues.
Will I be asleep during the procedure?
No. We use a local anesthetic only. After the procedure, you will be asked to lie on your back in the procedure room for approximately 20 minutes. The entire procedure lasts about 30 minutes.
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