What it means
The tissue that fills the inside of many bones, such as the hip and breastbone. Red marrow makes red blood cellred blud selA blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues; also called an erythrocyte.Full entry , white blood cells and plateletPLAYT-litA tiny cell fragment in the blood that sticks together at a wound to help form a clot.Full entry ; yellow marrow is mostly fat. When the marrow is damaged, for example by chemotherapy or cancer, the client can become anemic, prone to infection and prone to bleeding.
For the nurse
After a bone marrow aspiration or biopsy, apply pressure to the site and watch it for bleeding. A client whose marrow is suppressed needs infection precautions (hand hygiene, no sick visitors) and bleeding precautions.
At a glance
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Related terms
anemia
A lower than normal number of red blood cells or amount of hemoglobin in the blood.
platelet
A tiny cell fragment in the blood that sticks together at a wound to help form a clot.
thrombocytopenia
A blood platelet count below normal, under 150,000/mm3.
red blood cell
A blood cell that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues; also called an erythrocyte.
immune system
The body's defense system of cells, tissues and organs that fights germs and other foreign substances.