Abstract

Percutaneous drainage of breast abscesses, using needle aspiration or the insertion of a small caliber drain under local anesthesia, has been studied as an alternative to surgical incision and drainage. Prospective studies have shown that treatment of breast abscess with aspiration with or without ultrasound guidance had better outcomes with respect to healing time which was shorter, better cosmetic outcome. This is a comparative study carried out in department of general surgery in a tertiary health care center, Victoria hospital and Bowring and Lady Curzon hospital for a period of 1 year (May 2021-May 2022) after taking approval from institutional ethics committee. 44 female patients of age between 18-65 years and diagnosed breast abscess with abscess size of less than 10 cm in diameter on ultrasonography were included in the study after taking written consent form. Of these 22 had undergone aspiration of the breast abscess (group A) and 22 had undergone incision and drainage of the breast abscess (group B). The mean healing time and cosmetic outcome was significantly (p = 0.001) very good in patients treated with needle aspiration compared to incision and drainage. There was failure of needle aspiration in 4 patients (18.1%) in group A during the study which were treated with incision and drainage and cured. There was 3.3% recurrence rate observed in the incision and drainage group. Breast abscess in patients with diameter of less than 10 cm can be treated with needle aspiration successfully and with a good cosmetic outcome.

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