Bone marrow sampling in pathologic fractures: intramedullary pediatric chest tube technique

The objective of this article is to report upon a simple technique of bone marrow specimen collection of intramedullary bone tumors using a pediatric chest tube. This technique is described along with two case reports which include a 60-year-old female with metastatic breast cancer to the proximal femur, and a 63-year-old male with multiple myeloma of the proximal humerus. Utilizing this technique, in our experience, over 50 mL of aspirate can be obtained and definitive histologic material for cytogenetic diagnosis and immunohistochemistry. This technique is not indicated for biopsy of suspected primary lesions of bone due to the possibility of medullary or hematologic seeding and inappropriate invasion of soft tissue compartments.