Sentinel Node Biopsy Shorthand: Understanding the Procedure and Its Complications

Oral cavity cancer is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide, and its treatment often involves a sentinel node biopsy (SLNB) procedure. This technique is used to determine the status of regional lymph nodes and guide further therapeutic intervention. However, SLNB can come with several complications, making it essential for patients to understand the process and potential risks.

Typical complications associated with SLNB include postoperative hematoma, wound dehiscence, chyle leak, skin flap necrosis, parotid gland fistula, and postoperative shoulder dysfunction. These complications can significantly impact a patient's quality of life, which is already affected by the presence of cervical lymph node (LN) metastases.

Selective neck dissection may be performed on patients with undetectable LN or regional metastases, where the risk of recurrence is greater than 20%. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines emphasize the critical role of cervical LN status in determining therapeutic intervention for oral cavity cancer.

Indocyanine green (ICG) has been applied to SLNB to effectively predict the status of regional lymph nodes. A recent meta-analysis evaluated the value of ICG in guiding SLNB for patients with oral cavity cancer, analyzing data from 14 relevant articles and including nine studies with a total of 226 patients.

The study found that ICG application to SLNB can accurately predict the status of regional lymph nodes, with an area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.8805. This suggests that ICG-guided SLNB can be a reliable method for determining the best course of treatment for oral cavity cancer patients.

In conclusion, sentinel node biopsy is a crucial procedure in the treatment of oral cavity cancer, and it is essential for patients to understand the potential complications associated with this technique. The application of indocyanine green to SLNB has been shown to be an effective method for predicting the status of regional lymph nodes, which can guide further therapeutic intervention.

Sentinel node biopsy shorthand