title: How long will I be blue? Prolonged skin staining following sentinel lymph node biopsy using intradermal patent blue dye.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Blue dye used for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in breast cancer patients may cause prolonged skin discoloration at the site of injection. The aim of this study was to assess the duration of such skin discoloration.
  
  
  METHODS
  236 consecutive patients who had undergone breast conserving surgery and SLNB for breast cancer were reviewed prospectively from January 2007 to December 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 236 patients, 2 had undergone bilateral surgery, and 41 had been examined in consecutive yearly reviews. Blue discoloration remained visible at the injection site after 12, 24, and > 36 months in 36.5, 23.6, and 8.6% of the patients, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of patent blue for identification of the sentinel lymph node in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery may result in prolonged discoloration of the skin at the injection site.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Dicle University, Medical School, Yenişehir, Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Metehan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gumus
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Dicle University, Medical School, Yenişehir, Diyarbakır, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gumus
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Maidstone Hospital, Hermitage Lane, Maidstone, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sue E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Maidstone Hospital, Hermitage Lane, Maidstone, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Maidstone Hospital, Hermitage Lane, Maidstone, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Ali R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sever
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Maidstone Hospital, Hermitage Lane, Maidstone, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Weeks
keywords: Axillary staging; Patent blue; Sentinel lymph node biopsy; Skin discoloration