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Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

substance that is radioactive. Sometimes, the doctor will use both. This will help find the cancer or the sentinel lymph node. This may be injected a few hours before the procedure.
  • The dye flows into the sentinel node. This dye may cause your urine to be a blue/green color for a little while.
  • Your doctor will look for the blue dye or use a tool to find the tracer substance.
  • Next, the doctor will make a small cut in the area where the dye or tracer shows and find the sentinel lymph node.
  • Your doctor will remove the lymph node.
  • Your doctor will apply pressure and close the cut with stitches and cover the area with a clean bandage.
  • Your doctor will send the lymph node to the lab for testing.
  • A sentinel biopsy takes about 60 to 90 minutes.

  • What happens after the procedure?


    • You can go home after the test.
    • You may feel pain where the cut was made.
    • Take the pain drugs as ordered by your doctor.
    • Your skin may be blue for a few days because of the dye.
    • Ask your doctor when the results will be available.
    • Bruising or fluid leaking from your cut site may be seen a few days after the procedure.
    • Your cut site will heal within 10 to 14 days.

    What care is needed at home?


    • Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
    • Talk to your doctor about how to care for your cut site. Ask your doctor about:
      • When you should change your bandages
      • When you may take a bath or shower
      • If you need to be careful with lifting things over 10 pounds
      • When you may go back to your normal activities like work or driving
    • Wash your hands before and after touching your wound or dressing.
    • The biopsy site may have some bruising. Place an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel over the painful part. Never put ice right on the skin. Do not leave the ice on more than 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
    • Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. This will help flush the dye out.

    What follow-up care is needed?


    • Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits. Ask your doctor when you can get the results. Talk about the results with your doctor. Together you can make a plan for more care.
    • If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.

    What problems could happen?


    • Bleeding
    • Bruising
    • Infection
    • Irritated skin from the blue dye
    • Nerve damage at or near the cut
    • Allergy to the dye
    • Swelling or fluid collection in area where node removed

    When do I need to call the doctor?


    • Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, pain.
    • Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
    • Trouble breathing
    • Bright red bleeding from the cut
    • Pain lasting longer than a week

    Where can I learn more?


    Melanoma Center ‚  
    http://www.melanomacenter.org/staging/sentinal.html ‚  
    National Cancer Institute ‚  
    http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/sentinel-node-biopsy ‚  

    Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer


    This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚  

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