[Anaphylactic shock after injection of patent blue for sentinel lymph node biopsy]

After being diagnosed with a melanoma, an 18-year-old woman developed anaphylactic shock following an intracutaneous injection of patent blue during a sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure. Intracutaneous allergy tests revealed positive reactions with patent blue (Bleu patenté V 'Guerbet') as well as with several anaesthetics and morphine. It was concluded that patent blue was the most probable causative agent for the anaphylactic reaction and that the possibility of such a reaction should be taken into consideration during sentinel node procedures. After a few days the operation was completed under epidural anaesthesia with technetium Tc 99m sulphur colloid being used to detect the sentinel node.