Sentinel lymphadenectomy on a rare eyelid malignant blue nevus case

Lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymphadenectomy on a rare malignant blue nevus of the eyelid are reported. The treatment was wide excision and reconstruction. A 72-year-old male was referred with a progressively growing right lower eyelid mass on a blue flat lesion. Incisional biopsy confirmed malignancy. After wide tumor excision the resulting defect was reconstructed with Mustarde's cheek flap and a chondromucosal graft. A submandibular lymph node was found with intraoperative lymphatic mapping and sentinel lymphadenectomy technique. Histopathologic examination revealed a malignant blue nevus with sentinel lymph node involvement. Additional surgery or chemotherapy was not possible because of the patient's unfavorable general health. He was followed for 1 year without local or distant metastasis. Sentinel lymphadenectomy should be in the armamentarium of surgeons. This method provides important information about regional lymph node status and staging of patients as in malignant melanoma.