title: Microdochectomy for single-duct nipple discharge.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Isolated single-duct nipple discharge is worrying and poses a surgical dilemma. Factors predicting malignancy are controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of 92 consecutive microdochectomies for single-duct nipple discharge in a tertiary referral centre over 8 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The commonest causes were ductal papilloma (52%) and fibrocystic diseases of the breast (21%). Five (5%) patients had breast carcinoma, of whom only 1 had an invasive component. The median age of these patients was 43 years (range 26 to 72 years) which was similar to median age of the whole cohort. Sixty-seven (73%) patients presented with blood-stained nipple discharge. The 5 patients with breast carcinoma had blood-stained discharge. Mammography was abnormal in 1 out of 4 patients in the carcinoma group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of breast carcinoma in patients presenting with isolated single-duct nipple discharge was low (5%) among Singaporean women. There was no reliable predictors of malignancy, though all patients with carcinoma presented with blood-stained discharge. Microdochectomy still remains an effective treatment for nipple discharge both for cure and diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D009558:Nipples / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D018300:Papilloma, Intraductal / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity