Why is this procedure done?
You have lymph nodes all over your body. They help fight infection and are a part of your bodys natural defense against illness. This is your immune system. In most cases, lymph nodes are too small to feel. If you have a problem with your immune system, infection, or other illness, you may get a swollen lymph node. Your doctor may order this test to look for the cause of enlarged lymph nodes. ‚
What will the results be?
The results will tell you if you have abnormal cells growing within your lymph nodes. Talk to your doctor about the results. ‚
What happens before the procedure?
- Your doctor will take your history. Talk to your doctor about:
- If are pregnant or nursing.
- All the drugs you are taking. Be sure to include all prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, and herbal supplements. Tell the doctor about any drug allergy. Bring a list of drugs you take with you.
- Any bleeding problems. Be sure to tell your doctor if you are taking any drugs that may cause bleeding. Some of these are Coumadin, ibuprofen, Aleve (naproxen), or aspirin. Certain vitamins and herbs, such as garlic and fish oil, may also add to the risk for bleeding. You may need to stop these drugs as well. Talk to your doctor about them.
- When you need to stop eating or drinking before your procedure.
- Wear comfortable clothes the morning of your procedure. Do not wear any makeup.
- Leave jewelry and valuables at home.
- You will not be allowed to drive right away after the procedure. Ask a family member or a friend to drive you home.
What happens during the procedure?
You may or may not be asleep during the procedure. Talk to your doctor to decide what is best for you. The doctors will make sure you do not feel pain during the procedure. The biopsy site will be cleaned with special solution. The sample taken from you will be sent to the lab to be tested. ‚
There are many ways of doing this procedure. Your doctor may: ‚
- Put a needle into your node to get a sample. This is a needle biopsy. The doctor will put pressure on the site to stop bleeding. The needle biopsy takes less than 10 minutes.
- Make a cut in your skin and take out all or part of your lymph nodes. This is an open biopsy. Then the doctor closes the cut site with stitches and covers it with a bandage. The open biopsy takes 30 to 45 minutes.
- Use a special tool with dye to take out the tumor. This is a sentinel node biopsy. A few hours before the biopsy, doctor put a special dye near the enlarged lymph node. The dye flows into the sentinel node. The doctor cuts out the lymph nodes and the site is stitched closed and covered with a bandage. You may have blue/green urine for a few days after this test. A sentinel biopsy takes about 60 to 90 minutes.
What happens after the procedure?
- You will be able to go home after you recover from the procedure.
- 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 biopsy 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
- Be sure to wash your hands before 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.
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. You may need more tests.
- 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 drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
What problems could happen?
- Bleeding
- Infection
- Leaking fluid from the cut site
- Numbness of the skin near cut site
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills.
- 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.
- Bright red bleeding from the cut
- Pain lasting longer than a week
Where can I learn more?
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. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚