New technologies and possibilities of breast cancer staging by the criterion N ex vivo

The study was undertaken to improve breast cancer (BC) staging by the criterion N ex vivo, by applying the up-to-date ultrasound and microsurgical technologies. A LySonix 3000® with PulseSelectTM system was used to expose lymph nodes and vessels. Axillary adipose tissue classically exposed was examined in 70 patients with Stages II-III BC. Lymph vessels and nodes were separated by the sonolipodestruction technique. The findings permit sonolipodestruction to be used for ex vivo total lymph dissection for BC as a method that improves its N-staging. Sonolymphodissection opens up fresh opportunities for studying the anatomic structure of the lymphatic apparatus.