Using methylene blue as a marker to find and remove tiny metallic foreign bodies embedded in the soft tissues of children: A randomised controlled trial

What Was Tested

Researchers studied Methylene blue (non-peptide stack partner) in this randomized controlled trial publication.

To determine the usefulness of methylene blue staining in the surgical removal of tiny metallic foreign bodies embedded in the soft tissue.

Why It Was Studied

Embedment of metallic foreign bodies in the soft tissues is commonly encountered in the emergency room.

Most foreign bodies are easily removed, but removal is difficult if the foreign body is very small or deeply embedded.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 41 children taking part.

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were infants, young children and children, both men and women.

This prospective study involved 41 children treated between May 2007 and May 2012.

The patients were randomly divided into a methylene blue group and a control group.

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a randomized study.

The children were allocated by chance, so the Methylene blue (non-peptide stack partner) group and the comparison group should start out alike.

In the control group, foreign bodies were located using a C-arm and removed via direct incision.

In the methylene blue group, foreign bodies were located using a C-arm, marked with an injection of methylene blue and then removed surgically.

The clinical outcomes, complications, operation time, surgical success rate, incision length, frequency of C-arm use, and length and depth of the foreign body were compared between the two groups.

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Foreign Bodies, Indicators and Reagents, Metals, Methylene Blue, Operative Time, Radiography and Soft Tissue Injuries.

Author keywords: Metallic foreign body and Soft tissues.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized study of Methylene blue (non-peptide stack partner) in 41 children.

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 2016 (International journal of surgery (London, England)), a journal based in United States.

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