Iatrogenic Injury to the Iliolumbar Artery during Bone Marrow Biopsy Successfully Treated with Direct Embolisation through the Biopsy Needle: a Case Report

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Bone marrow biopsy (BMB) is a standard bedside procedure used to evaluate haematological disorders and oncological diseases. Although rare, complications of this procedure are well documented. In 2003, Bain1 reported 26 adverse events in a total of 54,890 BMB procedures giving a complication rate of around 0.05%. Haemorrhage, reported in 14 patients, was the most frequent and serious adverse event, necessitating blood transfusion in six patients and causing death in one. There is no standard guideline for management of vascular injury following BMB. We report a case of inadvertent arterial injury during BMB that was successfully managed by embolisation through the biopsy needle.