Breast abscess following nipple piercing: a case report and review of the literature.
BACKGROUND
Nipple piercing gains popularity and social acceptance within the last years, especially among young people. The medical literature reports an increase of complications in the post-piercing period.


METHODS
We report a case of a young woman, who presented with a light enlargement of the right breast and tenderness in the retroareolar region following nipple piercing 5 months ago. On ultrasound, a poorly marginated hypoechoic lesion was seen which was suspicious of an inflammation. After 1 week of antibiotic therapy, the mass had enlarged. As carcinoma could not be excluded, open biopsy was performed. Histology showed signs of chronic mastitis.


CONCLUSIONS
To date, only a few reports of breast abscess after nipple piercing have been published. With the increasing prevalence of body piercing, it is important to document and report infections which may be discovered many months following piercing. Carcinoma can mimic breast abscess and should be included in the differential diagnosis.
Kapsimalakou
Smaragda
S
Department of Radiology, University of Luebeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, Luebeck, Germany. Smaragda.Kapsimalakou@uk-sh.de
Grande-Nagel
Isabell
I
Simon
Martin
M
Fischer
Dorothea
D
Thill
Marc
M
Stöckelhuber
Beate M
BM
D000038:Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D046288:Body Piercing / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult