Emergency Bone Marrow Infusions-Reply

In Reply.—It is a pleasure to be asked to respond to the letter to the editor by Dr Henry Turkel. Dr Turkel performed some of the early work on emergency bone marrow infusions and is also one of the individuals responsible for stimulating the rejuvenation of this technique in the 1980s.

As Dr Turkel correctly states, most emergency rooms and pediatric units do not routinely have bone marrow aspiration or trephine instruments available for intraosseous infusions. We now stock bone marrow aspiration needles on our pediatric emergency carts because of our belief in the intraosseous technique when intravenous access is not obtainable. Until the technique becomes widely accepted and the proper equipment is readily available, however, I feel it is important for physicians to know that this lifesaving technique can be performed in the emergency situation on infants or small children using readily available butterfly needles or other strong,