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The influence of wire localisation for non-palpable breast lesions on visualisation of the sentinel node
J E Jansen1, J Bekker, M J de Haas
1Department of Surgery, Meander Medical Center, Amersfoort, The Netherlands.
Purpose:
In our clinic, patients with occult breast lesions are treated with a sentinel node biopsy combined with wire-guided tumour excision. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the influence of the sequence of wire localisation and sentinel node procedure on visualisation of the sentinel node.
Methods:
A total of 136 patients had a wire-guided tumour excision combined with a sentinel node procedure. Sixty-six patients had guide wire localisation prior to the sentinel node procedure. Seventy patients had sentinel node visualisation before insertion of the guide wire.
Results:
The sentinel node was visualised in 41 (62%) of the patients who first underwent guide wire localisation. In the group of patients who underwent visualisation of the sentinel node before placement of the guide wire, the sentinel node was visualised in 62 (89%). This is a significant difference in visualisation (p<0.001).
Conclusion:
This study shows that guide wire localisation prior to the sentinel node procedure negatively influences visualisation of the sentinel node.
