title: Extremely large breast abscess in a breastfeeding mother.
abstract: Puerperal mastitis often occurs in younger primiparous women. Most cases occur between 3 and 8 weeks postpartum. If mastitis results in the formation of a breast abscess, surgical drainage or needle aspiration is most commonly performed. We report a case of an extremely large breast abscess in a primiparous 20-year-old woman, which presented 6 weeks postpartum. Surgical incision and evacuation of 2 liters of exudate were performed, and intravenous antibiotics therapy was administered. On the sixth day after incision, we secondarily closed the wound. Examination after 3 months showed symmetrical breasts with a small scar in the incision area of the right breast. A high degree of suspicion and adequate diagnostic procedures are essential to avoid delay in the treatment of mastitis and breast abscess and thereby prevent unnecessary surgical treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, University Hospital Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia. kmartic@kbd.hr
authors.forename: Krešimir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Martic
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vasilj
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D001942:Breast Feeding; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008413:Mastitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult