title: Comparison of incision and drainage against needle aspiration for the treatment of breast abscess.
abstract: We aim to compare the incision and drainage against ultrasound-guided aspiration for the treatment of breast abscesses. Sixty-four patients were randomly allocated to Group A (incision and drainage) and Group B (needle aspiration). Incision and drainage was done under general, whereas  aspiration was done under local anesthesia with antibiotic coverage after the pus sample was taken for cultures. Time taken to resolve symptoms including point tenderness, erythema and hyperthermia, recurrence of breast abscess, and healing time was recorded. Patients were followed until 8  weeks. Culture and sensitivity of the pus were done. Data were analyzed in SPSS 16.0. The mean difference of healing time was significant (P = 0.001). A total of 93.3 per cent were healed in Group B and 76.6 per cent in Group A (P = 0.033). Twenty-two samples (34.37%) had no  bacterial yield and the remaining 42 samples (65.6%) yielded 11 anaerobic cultures (17.18%) and 31 aerobic cultures (48.4%). Ultrasound-guided aspiration of breast abscesses with the judicious use of antibiotics is a better treatment modality than incision and drainage.
authors.affiliation: Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan. dowgrad2012@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naeem
authors.forename: Muhammad Kazim
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Rahimnajjad
authors.forename: Nasir Ali
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Rahimnajjad
authors.forename: Qazi Jalaluddin
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Pyar Ali
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Fazel
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Owais
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000628:therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004322:Drainage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles; D013396:Suction / Q000295:instrumentation; D055815:Young Adult