RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Sentinel lymph node biopsy improves staging of disease, saves the axilla, and significantly reduces the risk of complications. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The authors compare the two groups of surgical treatment of breast cancer patients--after conventional surgery with axillary exenteration with a group of patients with sentinel node biopsy using gamma probe with limited power. RESULTS: In group of 42 patients after axillary exenteration authors observed: hematoma in 2 patients, 1 postoperative bleeding that need for surgical revision, 2 patients had paresthesia and 1 patient had lymphedema, which represents 11.5% of complications. In the group of 54 patients after limited exercise with the use of sentinel biopsy and gamma probe authors reported only one complication--an infected surgical wound seroma in the axilla (1.8% complications). CONCLUSION: Examination of sentinel node biopsy in combination with exact measurement of gamma probe allows friendly operating performance in the axilla and significantly reduces the incidence of postoperative complications.
