Is a bone marrow biopsy painful?

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Vu Huy Hoang - Doctor of Radiology - Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Nuclear Medicine - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital

Bone marrow biopsy is a technique of taking a sample of bone marrow, which is a sample of spongy tissue in the bone. Sampling from large bones is more convenient for the biopsy technique. This technique is performed to check and evaluate the health of the bone marrow, thereby helping to monitor and diagnose bone marrow related diseases.
Bone marrow is made up of a liquid part and a stronger, spongy substance. A bone marrow biopsy is the removal of the firmer spongy part, which is usually examined for red marrow, which is found in flat bones such as the pelvis (posterior).
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When the platelets, white blood cells, and red blood cells in the blood test results show an abnormality, not within the normal range (too high or too low), the doctor may prescribe bone marrow biopsy to determine the cause of this condition. A number of conditions can cause the production of blood cells in the body to be abnormal, such as:
Anemia with the sign of the red blood cell count is lower than the minimum value. Bone marrow related diseases such as myelodysplasia, myelofibrosis,. .. Blood related diseases such as polycythemia vera or thrombocytopenia, leukopenia,... Bone marrow biopsy is an important diagnostic technique for tumor pathologies including lymphoma, Leukaemia, cancer Bone marrow, blood cancer,... Genetic disorders such as Hemochromatosis when the body absorbs iron beyond the necessary level. The body has a fever, an infection but the cause has not been determined. In addition, for patients with a confirmed diagnosis of the disease, bone marrow biopsy is a method performed to help doctors assess the stage of the disease and control and monitor treatment.

Bone marrow biopsies can be painful, however, the pain is usually mild to moderate, with a short duration of pain. However, depending on the level of the doctor performing as well as the patient's condition, it may cause difficulties and disadvantages in the biopsy process, leading to pain. The average time to perform a bone marrow biopsy is less than 10 minutes. If there is a risk during the procedure that makes the time take longer, the patient may feel pain.
The patient's psychology is also an important factor causing pain sensation. If this process is not fully understood, patients are often afraid that they will feel more pain. However, once the procedure is understood, anxiety can be reduced and a more favorable bone marrow biopsy results in less pain sensations.

Steps to perform a bone marrow biopsy are as follows:
Step 1: Measure the patient's blood pressure and heart rate. Step 2: Anesthetize the biopsy area. Usually, the area taken will be the breastbone or pelvis. Step 3: Anesthesia. Step 4: At the biopsied area, the doctor uses a knife to make a small incision, then uses a special needle to pierce the skin and go to the bone. Once the bone is reached but not the marrow, the doctor collects a sample of the marrow. At this time, the patient may feel mild pain. Step 5: Finish the bone marrow biopsy, stop bleeding at the biopsy area and cover the incision area.

After a bone marrow biopsy, you may feel no pain or mild pain in the biopsy area for about a week.
Your doctor may prescribe pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help control pain. In particular, care should be taken to take care of the skin incision for biopsy to limit infection, specifically:
For about 24 hours after the bone marrow biopsy, do not bathe or wet the dressing, keep the incision dry and clean. For about 1-2 days after the biopsy, do not exercise vigorously to avoid open wound. Go to a medical facility immediately when you see a lot of bleeding, pain, swelling, discharge, fever. During and after a bone marrow biopsy, you may experience mild pain, which may or may not last for a week. It is important to note after the biopsy to keep the wound clean and dry, to avoid heavy labor that can cause the wound to open.
Bone marrow biopsy is a test to diagnose blood diseases, genetic disorders. The results of a bone marrow biopsy will provide a lot of important information, helping the doctor decide on the treatment method for the patient. Therefore, patients should choose reputable medical facilities with modern machinery and equipment for the procedure.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has been and continues to be fully equipped with modern diagnostic facilities such as: PET/CT, SPECT/CT, MRI... biology, immunohistochemistry, genetic testing, molecular biology testing, bone marrow testing as well as a full range of targeted drugs, the most advanced immunotherapy drugs in cancer treatment. Multimodal cancer treatment from surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, targeted therapy, immunotherapy in cancer treatment, new treatments such as autoimmunotherapy body, heat therapy...
After having an accurate diagnosis of the disease and stage, the patient will be consulted to choose the most appropriate and effective treatment methods. The treatment process is always closely coordinated with many specialties: Diagnostic Imaging, Biochemistry, Immunology, Cardiology, Stem Cell and Gene Technology; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Endocrinology, Department of Rehabilitation, Department of Psychology, Department of Nutrition, ... to bring the highest efficiency and comfort to the patient. After undergoing the treatment phase, the patient will also be monitored and re-examined to determine whether the treatment is effective or not.
Especially, now, to improve service quality, Vinmec also deploys many cancer screening packages that can help customers detect cancer early before there are no symptoms, bringing prognosis treatment and chances of recovery are high.

Reference sources: hellobacsi.com, dieutri.vn, vienyhocungdung.vn