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Breast Abscess Updated 4/2011

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BASICS

  • Description
  • Epidemiology
  • Risk Factors
  • General Prevention
  • Etiology

DIAGNOSIS

  • Signs and Symptoms
  • Tests
  • Differential Diagnosis

TREATMENT

  • Medication (Drugs)
  • Additional Treatment
  • Complementary and Alternative Medicine
  • Surgery
  • In-patient Considerations

Ongoing Care

  • Follow-Up Recommendations
  • Patient Education
  • Prognosis
  • Complications
The following is an excerpt....
BASICS
Description
  • Collection of pus, usually localized
  • Can be associated with lactation or fistulous tracts secondary to squamous epithelial neoplasm or duct occlusion
  • System(s) affected: Skin/Exocrine
  • Synonym(s): Mammary abscess; peripheral breast abscess; subareolar abscess; puerperal abscess
ALERT: Pregnancy Considerations
  • Most commonly associated with postpartum lactation
Epidemiology

Predominant age:

  • Puerperal abscess: Premenopausal
  • Subareolar abscess: Postmenopausal
  • Predominant sex: Female

Incidence
  • 0.1–0.5% of breast-feeding women
  • Puerperal abscess rare after 1st 6 weeks of lactation
Risk Factors
  • Puerperal mastitis: 5–11% go on to abscess (most often due to inadequate therapy). Risk factors for mastitis are those that result in milk stasis (infrequent feeds, missing feeds).
  • Poor latch, damaged nipple, illness in mother or baby, rapid weaning ...

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See Also
Images >
Technique for palpating Bartholin's glands.Credit: From Weber J RN, EdD and Kelley J RN, PhD. Health Assessment in Nursing, 2nd edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2003.
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