Sandbox: Breast Abscess
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ahmed Elsaiey, MBBCH [2]
Synonyms and keywords: Mammary Infection
Overview
Historic Perspective
Classification
Breast Abscess may be classified according to site and clinical presentation into subtypes.[1]
- Site: subcutaneous, subareolar, interlobular, central and retromammary.
- Clinical presentation: Lactational and Non-Lactational.
Pathophysiology
Following untreated Mastitis, Breast abscess could occur. Breast Abscess is mostly caused by staph aureus bacterial infection to an injured breast skin. The bacteria secrets killing substances that necrotize the tissue. The tissue secrets immune cells that help in killing the bacteria. However, these cells cause damage to the tissue forming abscess as well. As the breast abscess is the complicated form of mastitis, the pathophysiology is mostly like the mastitis pathophysiology.
Pathogenesis
Breast abscess pathogenesis depends on the lactation condition of the woman.
- Lactational:
- Injured breast skin allows the entrance of the bacteria to the mammillary ducts. This bacteria can be from the infant or the mother herself. Overproduction of the breast milk with no flow to the infant forms a good field for the bacteria to cause infection.[2]
- Duct Ectasia:
Pathogenesis
Abscess
References
- ↑ Dixon JM (1994). "ABC of breast diseases. Breast infection". BMJ. 309 (6959): 946–9. PMC 2541130. PMID 7755694.
- ↑ Marchant DJ (2002). "Inflammation of the breast". Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 29 (1): 89–102. PMID 11892876.
- ↑ Kobayashi SD, Malachowa N, DeLeo FR (2015). "Pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus abscesses". Am J Pathol. 185 (6): 1518–27. doi:10.1016/j.ajpath.2014.11.030. PMC 4450319. PMID 25749135.