Learning Curve for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer Using Methylene Blue
Author Information
Author(s): Jeffrey M. East, Christopher S. P. Valentine, Emil Kanchev, Garfield O. Blake
Primary Institution: Cornwall Regional Hospital, Montego Bay, Jamaica
Hypothesis
How quickly can experienced surgeons learn to perform sentinel lymph node biopsy using methylene blue dye?
Conclusion
The learning curve for sentinel lymph node biopsy using methylene blue dye is completed after 8 consecutive successful identifications.
Supporting Evidence
- Methylene blue dye is as effective as isosulfan blue for sentinel lymph node mapping.
- The learning curve for SLNB is shorter than the recommended 20 procedures.
- CUSUM charting can effectively monitor the learning process for surgical techniques.
Takeaway
Surgeons can learn to find lymph nodes in breast cancer patients quickly using a special dye, and they get good at it after just 8 tries.
Methodology
Experienced surgeons performed sentinel lymph node biopsies using methylene blue dye on selected breast cancer patients, with results plotted on a CUSUM chart.
Potential Biases
Potential selection bias in patient eligibility for the procedure.
Limitations
The study was limited to experienced surgeons and may not reflect the learning curve for less experienced surgeons.
Participant Demographics
All participants were female breast cancer patients with tumors not exceeding 5 cm.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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