What To Expect From A Bone Marrow Biopsy

How To Prepare

Most individuals will undergo their bone marrow biopsy on an outpatient basis. A bone marrow biopsy is usually performed by a physician who specializes in blood disorders, called a hematologist, or an oncologist, who is a doctor that specializes in cancer. Some patients will be able to undergo this procedure under local anesthesia, while others may choose to have intravenous twilight sedation. Should intravenous sedation be used, the patient should not consume any fluids or food for at least eight hours before the time of their bone marrow biopsy. An individual who decides to have intravenous sedation will need to arrange for a ride to and from the facility where the procedure will be carried out. The physician performing the bone marrow biopsy should be made aware of all medications and supplements the patient takes regularly. An individual who takes antiplatelets, anticoagulants, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs regularly will need to stop taking them several days before their bone marrow biopsy to reduce the risk of excessive bleeding.

Read about how the procedure works next.

How The Procedure Works

A bone marrow biopsy is usually performed by a hematologist, a doctor with expertise in blood disorders, or an oncologist, a doctor who specializes in cancer. The physician performing the bone marrow biopsy will choose a place to extract the sample tissue from the bone and clean the site with alcohol or an iodine solution. Lidocaine or another local anesthetic is then injected at the site where the biopsy is to be carried out to reduce pain. A specialized bone marrow biopsy needle is then inserted through the skin and into the patient's bone. This part of the procedure is known to produce pressure. The needle used to carry out a bone marrow biopsy has a hollow center and is pressed further into the bone with a twisting motion to produce a small cylindrical tissue sample. During this part of the procedure, it is common for a patient to feel a sharp pain because local anesthetic cannot penetrate the bone tissues. Depending on the age of the patient undergoing the biopsy and other circumstances, medications may be administered before the procedure for partial or full sedation.

Continue reading to reveal the risks linked to a bone marrow biopsy now.