What you will find in this folder.
-Blood & Bone Marrow Information
The biopsy is a special test used to look at a tiny piece of your body, called tissue. The doctors look at the tissue under a microscope. The microscope makes tiny things look really big. The doctors are looking at the cells in your tissue. A biopsy can be done during a test or an operation.
Your whole body is made up of cells. Cells join together to make different parts of your body, for example your skin.
Why do I need to have a Biopsy?
You are having a biopsy because the doctor needs to check your tissue. They need to take a very close look at the tiny piece of tissue from your body to find out if it is sick and how they can help you.
What does a Biopsy look like?
There is no machine for this test. All that is used is a bed and a needle.
What happens when I have a Biopsy?
A porter will come to bring you to the special room to have the biopsy. A nurse will greet you and explain what will happen.
The nurse will give you a gown to wear, this looks like a backward housecoat, you may already be wearing one. The nurse will help you to get on the bed; she will also tell you how to lie down on the bed. The nurse will put a blanket over you to keep you warm and make sure you are covered.
There are many different biopsies that the doctors can do. Depending on the area of your body that the doctor needs to look at, you may be given special sleep medicine or a part of your body may be asleep for the test.
While you are asleep or while the part of your body is asleep the doctor will use a special needle to take a tiny piece of tissue to be tested.
It is important to remember to relax and lie still. The test can take about 45 minutes to complete. When it is over, you will rest for a little while and then you will be brought back to your room.
What will the Biopsy feel like?
Depending on the type of biopsy that will be done, it may happen during a test, or it may be done during a surgery.
If just the area of your body where the biopsy will be done is asleep, you will not feel pain because the doctor will numb the area on your skin where the biopsy will be done. They will use a small needle to numb the area; you may feel a small pinch. It may take a little while for the area to feel numb. Once it is numb the doctor will use a needle to do the biopsy. You may feel pressure like someone is pushing down on you (for example, you may feel the doctor putting pressure on your leg, but not feel the needle) and you may feel movement of your body.
If you are asleep during the biopsy; you will be given special sleep medicine to go to sleep. This medicine is usually given to you in an IV. If you do not already have an IV, the doctor may need to give you one. To learn more about IV?s, go to the What Is That? section. You will not hear, feel or see anything. This is usually done in the operating room.
Preparing for the test
Your nurse will give you the information you need to help you get ready to have your biopsy. You may be told that you will not be able to eat or drink anything before the test.
You may also be given a special medicine before the test that makes you feel sleepy and helps you to relax. This medicine goes into your IV. If you do not already have an IV, the nurse will give you one. The IV is a small straw that goes into the vein usually in your hand. This is the quickest way to get the sleepy medicine into your body. You will feel a pinch from the poke of the IV, and it may hurt a little. Remember the needle used to get the straw into your hand, comes out and is put into a special garbage. All that is in your hand is a tiny bendy straw, no needle. When it is time for the test, remember to relax and take deep breaths.
Remember
If you have any questions about the test, always ask!
The nurse will place a tourniquet around your arm, above your elbow. The tourniquet is a rubber band that is gently tied around your arm. It may feel a little tight, but do not worry, it will only be on your arm for a short time.
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A port, also called a port-acath is used by doctors and nurses to give your body medicine or blood, or it can also be used for bloodwork (to learn more about blood work, go to the ?What Am I Having?? section). The port is placed under your skin in your chest while you are having a special sleep from the hospital sleeping medicine.
There may be a small bump where the port is placed. If you didn’t have a port, your arms and hands would get many needle pokes when putting IV?s in ( to learn more about IV?s go to the ?What Is That?” Section).
Many hospitals have special creams (often called Emla cream) that you can put on top of your skin where the port is, so when the nurses have to poke your port, you won’t feel too much of the pinch from the needle. If you have a port, you should still be able to do all your regular activities such as swimming and having showers. It is always best to ask the doctor and nurse just to make sure.
Why do I need to get a Port?
You are getting a port because the doctor needs to give you medicine or take blood many times and the port makes this easier for you. If you did not have a port, the medicine or blood would have to go through an IV in your arm or hand, which means that you would have to get an IV every time you came to the hospital for your medicine. Sometimes you have to get the medicine for a few days and the IV may stop working, which would mean you would need to get another IV and that means another needle poke. The port can stay in your body for a long time and can be used many times.
What does a port look like?
The port has a circle shape, is usually made of special material and has a soft centre. It also has a skinny tube attached to it that takes the medicine or blood from the port and puts it into your blood stream.
What happens when I get a Port?
A porter will come to bring you to the operating room (OR). This is where you will meet the surgeon (the doctor doing the operation), the anesthetist (the ?sleepy medicine? doctor who gives you the special sleep medicine to help you go to sleep so that you do not hear, see or feel anything during the operation) and a nurse. The nurse will greet you and explain what will happen. Click here to read about all the steps in ?What happens In The OR??.
The nurse will give you a gown to wear, this looks like a backward housecoat, you may already be wearing one. The nurse will help you to get on the bed. She will also tell you how to lay down on the bed. The nurse will put a blanket over you to keep you warm and make sure you are covered.
It is important to remember to relax and lie still. During the operation you will be asleep; you will not hear, see or feel anything. When it is over, you will rest for a little while and then you will be brought back to your room.
What will the Port feel like?
During the operation, you will not feel anything. The sleep medicine doctor will give you special medicine to help you go to sleep. This is a different kind of sleep than what you do in your own bed at home. To learn more about getting sleep medicine click on ?What Happens in the OR??.
When you wake up, you will have a bandage over the area where the doctors put the port. There are different spots where the port can go. The doctor will let you know before going to the operating room where the port will go on your body.
Preparing for the Operation
Your nurse will give you the information you need to help you get ready to have your operation to get your port. You will not be able to eat or drink anything before the operation because you will be getting sleep medicine.
If your hospital has a child life specialist, they will also be able to help prepare you for having the port operation.
Remember
If you have any questions about the operation, always ask!
Check out this brochure about a port a cath from CHEO
A port, also called a port-acath is used by doctors and nurses to give your body medicine or blood, or it can also be used for bloodwork (to learn more about blood work, go to the ?What Am I Having?? section). The port is placed under your skin in your chest while you are having a special sleep from the hospital sleeping medicine.
There may be a small bump where the port is placed. If you didn’t have a port, your arms and hands would get many needle pokes when putting IV?s in ( to learn more about IV?s go to the ?What Is That?” Section).
Many hospitals have special creams (often called Emla cream) that you can put on top of your skin where the port is, so when the nurses have to poke your port, you won’t feel too much of the pinch from the needle. If you have a port, you should still be able to do all your regular activities such as swimming and having showers. It is always best to ask the doctor and nurse just to make sure.
Why do I need to get a Port?
You are getting a port because the doctor needs to give you medicine or take blood many times and the port makes this easier for you. If you did not have a port, the medicine or blood would have to go through an IV in your arm or hand, which means that you would have to get an IV every time you came to the hospital for your medicine. Sometimes you have to get the medicine for a few days and the IV may stop working, which would mean you would need to get another IV and that means another needle poke. The port can stay in your body for a long time and can be used many times.
What does a port look like?
The port has a circle shape, is usually made of special material and has a soft centre. It also has a skinny tube attached to it that takes the medicine or blood from the port and puts it into your blood stream.
What happens when I get a Port?
A porter will come to bring you to the operating room (OR). This is where you will meet the surgeon (the doctor doing the operation), the anesthetist (the ?sleepy medicine? doctor who gives you the special sleep medicine to help you go to sleep so that you do not hear, see or feel anything during the operation) and a nurse. The nurse will greet you and explain what will happen. Click here to read about all the steps in ?What happens In The OR??.
The nurse will give you a gown to wear, this looks like a backward housecoat, you may already be wearing one. The nurse will help you to get on the bed. She will also tell you how to lay down on the bed. The nurse will put a blanket over you to keep you warm and make sure you are covered.
It is important to remember to relax and lie still. During the operation you will be asleep; you will not hear, see or feel anything. When it is over, you will rest for a little while and then you will be brought back to your room.
What will the Port feel like?
During the operation, you will not feel anything. The sleep medicine doctor will give you special medicine to help you go to sleep. This is a different kind of sleep than what you do in your own bed at home. To learn more about getting sleep medicine click on ?What Happens in the OR??.
When you wake up, you will have a bandage over the area where the doctors put the port. There are different spots where the port can go. The doctor will let you know before going to the operating room where the port will go on your body.
Preparing for the Operation
Your nurse will give you the information you need to help you get ready to have your operation to get your port. You will not be able to eat or drink anything before the operation because you will be getting sleep medicine.
If your hospital has a child life specialist, they will also be able to help prepare you for having the port operation.
Remember
If you have any questions about the operation, always ask!
Check out this brochure about a port a cath from CHEO
*Please note that only the linked videos from youtube have been reviewed*
Check out this video by UPOP & Sickkids titled ” The Truth about PICC Lines”
Boston Children’s Hospital & MIBG treatment
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What you will find in this document;
-Blood and Bone Marrow information