Breast Abscess Surgery

Best Breast Abscess Surgery Treatment & Diagnostics in Chirag Enclave, Delhi

A breast abscess is a pus-filled lump under the skin near or in breast tissue that occurs due to infection. It can affect anyone but is usually found in women between the age of 18 and 50 years. If detected early, antibiotics can help kill the abscess. However, in advanced stages, surgery may be needed.

What is breast abscess surgery?

Breast abscess surgery involves incision and drainage of the breast abscess, which is not going away with the use of antibiotics. This procedure is very routinely performed in such cases and can help resolve the abscess completely. During this procedure, a fine needle is inserted into the abscess to help its drainage. If the area of the abscess is large, the incision may be made after numbing the area with a local anesthetic.

To know more, consult a breast surgery doctor near you or visit a breast surgery hospital near you.

Who qualifies for the procedure?

A breast abscess surgery is recommended for individuals with the following symptoms:

• Low production of milk in lactating women
• Excruciating pain
• Discharge from the nipple
• Redness and warmth in the area
• Lumps in the breast
• Flushed skin
• Fever and chills
• Nausea and vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms
• Fatigue and malaise

If you are suffering from a painful breast abscess and need to see a specialist,

request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Chirag Enclave, New Delhi.

Call 1860 500 2244 to book an appointment.

Why is a breast abscess surgery procedure conducted?

In most early cases of breast abscess, antibiotic therapy is used as the first line of treatment. However, surgery may be recommended in the following cases:

• If the abscess is not resolving with antibiotic therapy
• The abscess is too large and painful for antibiotics to resolve it
• When the skin over the abscess is too thin, incision and drainage is recommended
• Needle aspiration is recommended in cases where the abscess is less than 3 cm in size and in cases of lactational abscess
• Recurrence of a breast abscess following needle aspiration
• If the primary cause of the breast abscess is obstructed or ectatic lactiferous duct, surgical intervention is needed

What are the benefits?

Incision and drainage are successful treatment options for breast abscess management. In the majority of cases, breast abscess surgery is followed up with antibiotic therapy. Compared to only-antibiotic therapy, breast abscess surgery has many benefits:

• Better access to the abscess and facilitates easy drainage
• Incision-and-drainage is a conservative way for adequate drainage of the abscess
• Immediate pain relief, though some people may need NSAIDs or other pain-relieving medications
• Less chance of recurrence as compared to antibiotic-only treatment and incision-and-drainage.

What are the risks?

Like with any surgical procedure, breast abscess surgery is associated with a few risks:

• Pain
• Scarring: This is a common complication following a breast abscess surgery and is characterized by the formation of fat tissue in the breast instead of glandular tissue. Though scarring by itself is not a serious condition, it can lead to cancer if not checked from time to time.
• Hypoplasia: A rare complication of a breast abscess, it is characterized by insufficient glandular tissue, which results in little or no milk production.
• Fistula formation: This condition is characterized by recurrent abscess formation and breast duct fistulas.
• Necrotising fasciitis: This is a rare complication seen in severe cases of breast abscess.
• Asymmetry of the breasts
• Retraction of the nipple-areolar complex leading to cosmetic deformity of the breast
• Sepsis

Conclusion

The occurrence of breast abscesses is rare and in most cases, antibiotics are the first choice of treatment. However, in recurrent or larger breast abscesses, incision-and-drainage or a breast surgery proves to be more effective with an excellent prognosis.