title: Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Catheter Drainage of Large Breast Abscesses in Lactating Women: How to Preserve Breastfeeding Safely.
abstract: Management of breast abscess in lactating women remains controversial. During pregnancy, women may develop different kinds of benign breast lesions that could require a surgical incision performed under general anesthesia with consequent breastfeeding interruption. The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the management of large breast abscesses with ultrasound-assisted drainage aiming at breastfeeding preservation.
  
  
  
  34 lactating women with a diagnosis of unilateral breast abscess have been treated with an ultrasound (US)-assisted drainage of the abscess. A pigtail catheter was inserted into the fluid collection using the Seldinger technique under US guide and connected to a three stop way to allow drainage and irrigation of the cavity until its resolution.
  
  
  
  All procedures have been found safe and well tolerated. No recurrence was observed and breastfeeding was never interrupted.
  
  
  
  The described technique allows to avoid surgery and to preserve breastfeeding in well-selected patients with a safe, well-tolerated and cost-effective procedure.
authors.affiliation: 1 Breast Surgery Unit, IRCCS-Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova , Reggio Emilia, Italy .
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Falco
authors.affiliation: 1 Breast Surgery Unit, IRCCS-Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova , Reggio Emilia, Italy .
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Foroni
authors.affiliation: 1 Breast Surgery Unit, IRCCS-Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova , Reggio Emilia, Italy .
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Castagnetti
authors.affiliation: 2 General, Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery, Department of Surgery, "San Matteo degli Infermi" Hospital-ASL Umbria 2 , Spoleto, Italy .
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Marano
authors.affiliation: 3 Department of Senology, Asur Marche Area Vasta 1, Santa Maria della Misericordia , Urbino, Italy .
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bordoni
authors.affiliation: 4 Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples "Federico II," Naples , Italy .
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rocco
authors.affiliation: 5 Diagnostic Imaging Department, IRCCS-Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova , Reggio Emilia, Italy .
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Marchesi
authors.affiliation: 5 Diagnostic Imaging Department, IRCCS-Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova , Reggio Emilia, Italy .
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Iotti
authors.affiliation: 5 Diagnostic Imaging Department, IRCCS-Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova , Reggio Emilia, Italy .
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vacondio
authors.affiliation: 1 Breast Surgery Unit, IRCCS-Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova , Reggio Emilia, Italy .
authors.forename: Guglielmo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrari
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy; D007774:Lactation / Q000502:physiology; D008413:Mastitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional
keywords: breast abscess; breastfeeding preservation; ultrasound-guided drainage