American journal of surgery
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The technique of lymphoscintigraphy may allow a more selective approach to the management of clinically negative neck nodes among patients with cutaneous head and neck melanoma. ⋯ Lymphoscintigraphy and sentinel node biopsy are more difficult to perform in the head and neck than in other parts of the body. The reliability of sentinel node biopsy based on lymphoscintigraphy may be improved by identifying and marking all nodes that are considered to receive direct lymphatic drainage from the primary melanoma, and by use of a gamma probe intraoperatively.