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.
Ho
W S
WS
Department of Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
Chan
A C
AC
Law
B K
BK
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