Bone Marrow Biopsy Day

What to Expect And How to Survive

One of the most common questions parents of a newly diagnosed Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome child ask is, "What can we expect when our child has a bone marrow biopsy?"

Most hematologists/oncologists perform the bone marrow biopsy (BMB) at the same time they perform a bone marrow aspiration (BMA). If you are unsure whether or not both a BMB and a BMA will be performed at the same time, be sure to ask your child's doctor. Protocol for BMBs vary from hospital to hospital , but the actual BMB/BMA procedures themselves are the same. Some hospital protocols will allow one parent to stay in the OR or procedure room while the BMB is being performed, while others will allow a parent to remain in the room until the child is put under.

Your child will be required to fast prior to the BMB procedure. Some doctors will allow clear liquids up to six hours prior to the procedure, but this also varies from hospital to hospital. Be sure to ask your child's doctor what time to begin the fast and about clear liquids. You will also need to ask which medications your child will be allowed to take the morning of his BMB. You will likely be asked to arrive approximately two hours prior to the procedure. After you check in with the nurse or front desk, your child will have his IV placed and blood drawn for routine labs (or any extra labs that may be necessary). Some hospitals may require a pre-operative appointment before the BMB.

Soon after your child's IV is placed, you'll be asked to escort him to the OR or procedure room. The anesthesiologist will go through a list of questions and examine your child. At this point, your child will be put to sleep and you will be asked to leave the procedure room if hospital protocol so requires. The BMB/BMA usually only takes about twenty minutes total.