An unexpected occurrence or variation involving death or serious physical or psychological injury, or the risk thereof. Serious injury specifically includes loss of limb or function. The event is called “sentinel” because it signals a need for closer attention.
Services provided to patients (history-taking, physical examination, preventive care, tests, procedures, drugs, advice) or information on clinical condition or on patient state used as a patient outcome.... clinical event
the first lymph node to show evidence of metastasis (spread) of a malignant tumour (e.g. breast cancer) via the lymphatic system. Absence of cancer cells in the sentinel node indicates that more distal lymph nodes will also be free of metastasis. In breast cancer, the change in practice to perform axillary lymph node dissection only if the sentinel node contains metastatic tumour has reduced the risk of arm lymphoedema. Similarly, in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, the sentinel lymph node procedure is used as an alternative to neck dissection.... sentinel lymph node
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