Sternum: A useful but forgotten site for bone marrow aspiration

Authors

  • Nasira Shaheen
  • Mahwash Rashid
  • Muhammad Qaiser Alam Khan
  • Zafar Ali

Abstract

Objective: This study was carried out to evaluate the usefulness of sternal puncture for bone marrow examination when posterior superior iliac spine was not approachable.

Design: Case series.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out from Sep 2008 till Feb 2009 at Haematology Department, Army Medical College /Military Hospital Rawalpindi.

Patients and Methods:  Sternal puncture was performed on 12 patients where PSIS/ASIS were not accessible due to patients condition/ disease.

Results: The diagnosis was possible in all the patients and the reports were intimated within a few hours of carrying out the procedure. Indications for sternal puncture were non accessibility of PSIS/ASIS due to obesity, bed sores, anasarca, skin lesions and patients on ventilators. No complications were seen.

Conclusion:  Sternum is as good as other sites of bone marrow examination especially in critically ill patients who cannot undergo conventional bone marrow aspiration.

Keywords: Bone marrow aspiration, posterior iliac crest, sternal puncture.

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Published

03-08-2016

How to Cite

1.
Shaheen N, Rashid M, Khan MQA, Ali Z. Sternum: A useful but forgotten site for bone marrow aspiration. Pak J Pathol [Internet]. 2016 Aug. 3 [cited 2024 Mar. 29];22(4). Available from: https://pakjpath.com/index.php/Pak-J-Pathol/article/view/112

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