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In this Article

• What is bone marrow?
• What is a bone marrow procedure?
• Why are bone marrows done?
• What bone is used to sample the bone marrow?
• How is a bone marrow performed?
• What is done with the bone marrow sample?
• What diseases are diagnosed by bone marrow examination?
• What are the risks of a bone marrow procedure?
• Bone Marrow Index

What are the risks of a bone marrow procedure?

Different individuals feel the pain caused by injection of the local anesthetic and the remainder of the procedure to a variable extent. There may be dull soreness for a day or two. Significant complications are very unusual but can include bleeding, infection, and prolonged pain. Rare fatalities have been reported, usually during sternal marrows when the needle has penetrated the sternum and cut one of the arteries on the surface of the heart.