Preliminary experience of reverse lymphatic mapping technique using indocyanine green dye lymphangiography and patent blue dye in melanoma patients undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsies: a case series.

Abstract

Summary: Sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy is essential for staging and treatment planning in melanoma, but access to standard techniques such as preoperative radiotracer injection may be limited in resource-constrained settings. We describe a novel technique combining patent blue dye with indocyanine green (ICG)-guided reverse lymphatic mapping to identify SLN in lower extremity melanoma. This method offers a feasible alternative when radioactive isotope injection devices are unavailable. Three patients underwent this technique with successful localisation of SLN and no complications.