What is a bone marrow aspirate and biopsy?
Bone marrow is the spongy material found in the center of many bones in the body. The bone marrow is the substance that makes the different types of blood cells. A bone marrow aspirate and biopsy is done to see if the blood cells in your child’s body are being properly made. Aspiration refers to the removal of fluid by suction. A biopsy is the removal of small piece of marrow tissue by a special biopsy needle. Most of the time, this procedure is done under general anesthesia either in the clinic or in the operating room. Sometimes the procedure is done in the clinic under heavy sedation called conscious sedation. It is not unusual for your child to be anxious about this test. Holding your child’s hand, talking about something of interest to your child and helping your child pay attention to his breathing may help to relieve anxiety. You may want to ask about a brief general anesthesia for your child versus the conscious sedation approach.
