BONE MARROW BIOPSY (BMB)
A Bone Marrow Biopsy and Bone Marrow Aspiration, is a procedure to collect and test the more liquid material as well as the spongy material found inside your larger bones.
The Bone Marrow Aspiration collects the more liquid portion, while a Bone Marrow Biopsy collects the more solid material. Often these two procedures are performed at the same time.
In the case of Cold Agglutinin Disease this test is used to check to see if your bone marrow is making normal amounts of Red Blood Cells.
At the same time, the testing is used to identify or eliminate various CAD related triggers, such as leukemia, lymphoma, etc. Diseases that would classify CAD as Secondary CAD rather than Primary CAD. All off which is useful, as well as necessary, in establishing an effective treatment plan.
It can also be used for a variety of other reasons, including monitoring progression of a disease.
The entire prep and taking of the samples takes around 10 minutes. Often done using local anesthesia to numb tissue in the area. Usually performed on a larger bone that is near the skin surface. (i.e. Hip). For those that are anxious about pain, a sedative may be used that will require some recovery time. Most people do just fine with local anesthesia. Feeling pressure rather than pain.
A small incision is made, a hole made in the bone, and a needle inserted through the bone to perform the Aspiration.
For the Bone Marrow Biopsy sample, a larger specially designed needle is used to retrieve a cylindrical sample of the spongy marrow material, through the same incision/hole.
