Bone Marrow Aspiration and Biopsy

Aspiration, Bone Marrow, Biopsy, Bone Marrow

How To Prepare

You will be asked to sign a consent form. Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have about the need for the aspiration or biopsy, its risks, how it will be done, or what the results may mean. To help you understand the importance of the biopsy, fill out the medical test information form Click here to view a form. (What is a PDF document?).

Tell your doctor if you:

  • Are taking any medicines.
  • Are allergic to any medicine, including anesthetics.
  • Have any bleeding problems or take blood-thinners, such as aspirin, heparin, or warfarin (Coumadin).
  • Are or might be pregnant.

Arrange for someone to drive you home after the biopsy because you may be given a medicine (sedative) to help you relax.


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Author: Bets Davis, MFA Last Updated: November 26, 2008
Medical Review: Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Brian Leber, MDCM, FRCPC - Hematology

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Topic Contents
 Test Overview
 Why It Is Done
Arrow PointerHow To Prepare
 How It Is Done
 How It Feels
 Risks
 Results
 What Affects the Test
 What To Think About
 References
 Credits