• An Island Hospital Cancer Care Center staff member will greet you and bring you to the procedure room.
• The doctor will explain the bone marrow procedure to you and answer any questions that you have. 
• A consent form will be given to you to sign to give us permission to do the procedure.
• The nurse will have you change into a gown for the procedure.  You can leave undergarments on.  Your undergarments may get some disinfectant cleaning solution on them during the procedure and this will wash out with regular washing methods.  Do not use bleach.

• The doctor will have you lie on your left side with your knees curled up or on your stomach.
• You will hear sounds as he opens the equipment tray up and prepares things.  He will place a sterile paper drape on your back. 
• The sample area will be cleaned with iodine soap. 
• The doctor will press on your back with his fingers to try to find the exact spot he will use.
• The doctor will numb the area with Lidocaine.  He will continue to ask you throughout the procedure if the area is numb.  If  you need more Lidocaine, please let the doctor know.  After the initial Lidocaine injection you should feel mainly pressure and pushing until the samples are taken.
• When the doctor is ready to take the bone marrow sample, he will let you know what to expect.  It is an uncomfortable feeling but it is very brief.  He will usally take two different samples.  One is a liquid sample of bone marrow and one is a piece of the bone where the marrow is made.

After the procedure is done, the area will be cleaned and a pressure dressing will be applied.

• The staff will ask you to lie down on your back for 15-30 minutes before getting dressed.
• The bone marrow aspirate site will be sore like a deep bruise for a few days.  Tylenol 650 mg every 4-6 hours as needed is usually all you will need to keep you comfortable after the procedure.  Occasionally, we have patients who have more pain and if you are one of them, you should contact the doctor.
• You may remove the pressure dressing the next morning and replace it with a regular bandaid or keep it open to air.
• Do not take a tub bath or submerge in water for 2-3 days after the procedure.  You may shower as usual.
• If you have any questions or concerns about the bone marrow procedure or site, please call the Cancer Care Center staff at 299-4200 during clinic hours.  If you have fever, bleeding or increasing pain at the bone marrow aspirate site, please contact the Oncology Doctor on call by calling 299-4200 and following the instructions to reach the doctor during an emergency.