Effect on oximetry of dyes used for sentinel lymph node biopsy.

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Methylene Blue, published as a randomized controlled trial.

There are differences between readings of peripheral blood oxygen saturation when the effect on saturation values of methylene blue is compared with that of isosulfan blue when used in sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with breast cancer.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 16 patients taking part.

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were middle-aged adults, women only.

Thirty-two women undergoing surgery for breast cancer using sentinel lymph node biopsy.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy using methylene blue (16 patients) and isosulfan blue (16 patients); there was also a control group of 6 surgical patients in whom dyes were not used.

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a randomized study.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Methylene Blue and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Breast Neoplasms, Coloring Agents, Methylene Blue, Neoplasm Staging, Oximetry, Oxygen and Rosaniline Dyes.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized study of Methylene Blue in 16 patients.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 5 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 2004 (Archives of surgery (Chicago, Ill. : 1960)), a journal based in United States.

More context: the related Methylene blue (non-peptide stack partner) library page, all human trials.