Prolonged skin staining after intradermal use of patent blue in sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer

Aims. To investigate the duration of staining of the skin after intradermal. injection of patent blue during sentinel. Lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for breast cancer. Methods. The clinical. data of 33 consecutive patients who underwent a SLNB in combination with breast conserving therapy (BCT) in our hospital were retrospectivety reviewed. Also, patients were interviewed at intervals of 3 months until the blue staining of their skin had disappeared. Results. At mean follow-up of 18 months (range: 12-28) patent blue was visible at the site of injection after 3, 6, 9 and 12 months in 70, 64, 44 and 41% of the patients, respectively. Conclusions. Use of the intradermat injection technique of patent blue during sentinel lymph node biopsy in BCT may result. in remarkably long discolouring of the skin at the site of injection.