Management of paraffinoma of the breast: 10 years' experience.
Paraffin injection was regarded as a simple and effective method of improving body contour. It was widely used in breast augmentation until the long-term complication of paraffinoma was recognised. Paraffinoma of the breast can present as a spectrum of disease ranging from a painless mass to a destructive ulcer simulating breast cancer. This makes it difficult to make the correct diagnosis and provide suitable treatment. Eight patients with paraffinoma of the breast have been managed at a teaching hospital over a 10 year period. All were females, with a mean age of 65.6 years (range: 57-73 years). The average time between paraffin injection and the onset of symptoms was 24 years (range: 11-30 years). These patients have been followed up for between 3 and 10 years (mean: 6.1 years). One patient died of congestive heart failure 4 years after bilateral mastectomy for painful paraffinomas of the breasts. Another patient had a coexisting infiltrative ductal carcinoma of the breast. The clinical presentations, radiological appearances, histopathological features and the treatment are discussed.
Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
W S
WS
Ho
A C
AC
Chan
B K
BK
Law
D000368:Aged; D001940:Breast / Q000601:surgery*; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015745:Granuloma, Foreign-Body / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010232:Paraffin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013997:Time Factors
D010232:Paraffin