Bone Marrow Aspiration
and Biopsy

It is not usually necessary, but you may be given a sedative before the procedure.

The collection process is similar, but the bone marrow donor goes through a physical and has blood tests done prior to the collection to make sure that he is healthy and that his sample will be compatible with the person to whom the marrow will be donated. The donor is usually put under general anesthesia during the collection because a larger amount of marrow must be obtained under sterile conditions. The sample is then processed, filtered and given to the transplant recipient through a vein. The stem cells in the donor sample travel through the blood stream to the marrow and, if all goes right, begin to create RBCs, WBCs, and platelets.