The international surgical journal with global reach

This is the Scientific Surgery Archive, which contains all randomized clinical trials in surgery that have been identified by searching the top 50 English language medical journal issues since January 1998. Compiled by Jonothan J. Earnshaw, former Editor-in-Chief, BJS

Methylene blue intra-arterial staining of resected colorectal cancer specimens improves accuracy of nodal staging: A randomized controlled trial. Eur J Surg Oncol 2016; 42: 1642–1646.

Published: 30th March 2017

Authors: Reima H, Saar H, Innos K, Soplepmann J

Conclusion

The study included 266 colorectal cancer specimens. Methylene blue injection into the specimen after removal increased the median number of lymph nodes harvested for pathology to 27 compared with 16 in the no dye group, P<0.001. The proportion with metastatic nodes was similar: 42 versus 43 per cent.

Pubmed Link