Pre-and-intra-operative localization of penile sentinel nodes
The invention provides methods for pre- and intra-operatively localizing penile sentinel lymph nodes by injection of fluorescent dyes into penile tumors.
1. A method of localizing before or during a surgical operation a lymph node draining a penile tumor having edges and a base, in a subject, comprising:
a) 1 hour to 6 hours prior to said surgical operation, injecting the edges or the base of said tumor of said subject with 30 to 300 μL of a dye which fluoresces at an emission wavelength when said dye is contacted with an excitation wavelength;
b) exposing said lymph node before or during said operation to illumination using a laparoscopic instrument, the illumination comprises said excitation wavelength and causes said fluorescent dye to fluoresce; and,
c) detecting the fluorescence of said dye at said lymph node.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said lymph node is a sentinel lymph node.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said dye is injected into the edges of said tumor.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said dye is injected into the base of said tumor.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said lymph node is visualized on an image display.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said dye is a dye which fluoresces when exposed to near infrared light.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said dye is a tricarbocyanine dye.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the tricarbocyanine dye is indocyanine green.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the subject is a human.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said dye is injected between 1 hour and 3 hours before said surgical operation.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said dye is injected between 1 hour and 2 hours before said surgical operation.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said steps (b) and (c) are performed during said operation.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said operation is a laparoscopic operation.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) requires two to five injections.