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Suggest Treatment For White Painful Scar In Breast

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Posted on Mon, 30 Mar 2015
Question: My wife is having a whilte painful scar for the past 4 days. She is mother of 7 months old baby. She used to do brestfeedind but recenty 2 months she started to store her the brest milk as baby is not interested in sucking. Now for somereason for the past 4 days she is suffering from this scar which is in her left brest. It's painful when touched. Pls let me know about it and temedy of it. I am attaching photo of the same. She is 27 years old.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sameer Kumar (19 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
left nipple abscess...

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for the query to HCM,
It is evident from the picture that she is suffering from a duct abscess on left side of breast and the pus-point head can be seen at the tip of the nipple. It is a staph infection which has occurred possibly due to inadequate breast expression and a reverse infection into the ducts. This needs to be drained and the pus has to be removed with a surgical procedure called INCISION & DRAINAGE , followed by antibiotics like Amoxycillin for a week to promote prevention from reinfection while healing of the surgical wound.

It is suggested that you should take her to the ER as this shall grow further and become more painful if not drained early.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sameer Kumar (9 minutes later)
Thanks doc. Can u pls elaborate the fact. What is this duct adscess, how it happens etc. and what is ER? Is there any non surgical way to cure it? After surgery how will she milk herself to feed the baby?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sameer Kumar (11 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
explained

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for the follow up.
There are these lactiferous ducts which carry the milk produced in breast acini to the nipples for being expressed. These ducts can get infected by repeated stimulation during milk expression and also when the hands are not washed or cleaned before expression, then the infection can travel from finger tips to inside the duct causing an abscess.

ER or emergency are the same. Idea is you should not wait upon it and get the drainage done sooner.
After the drainage , she can use breast pumps which are available to express the milk.It won't be a problem.
regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sameer Kumar (1 hour later)
Thanks Doc. Should I go to the same Gyno who did her c-section? How long it will take to recover it? I am sending u another pic of the thing. Please share you view for surgery of the same as my wife is scared of doing so. Should i still go ahead with the surgery?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sameer Kumar (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
answered

Detailed Answer:
hello,
Yes its a duct abscess.
you can go to anyone either a surgeon or a gyne, its going to need a minor incision and drainage. This is a small XXXXXXX and extrusion of pus followed by compression bandage for 5-7 days.
it has formed a head already , it may burst in few days , concern is its spread along the breast tissue and the duct tract which can increase in size, hence early intervention is preferred.
regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Sameer Kumar (3 hours later)
Thanks i will go with it. But after the surgery using breast pump will not be a problem right? As u said compression bandage will be there for 5-7 days: how will she manage the breast milk then and is there any chance of reoccuring the same in future? What precautions should be taken then. Thanks
doctor
Answered by Dr. Sameer Kumar (59 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
answered

Detailed Answer:
breast pump can be used intermittently with the compression bandage, that shall be advised by the surgeon as to how to use it.
Recurrence is possible if proper hygiene is not maintained again and proper post op care is not taken. So initial week care has to be taken till it heals properly.
the nipple has to be cleaned with XXXXXXX warm water and dried with a sterile swab thrice a day and after every expression of milk. local application of antibiotic cream may be given which shall prevent infection.
regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Sameer Kumar

OB and GYN Specialist

Practicing since :2002

Answered : 1782 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For White Painful Scar In Breast

Brief Answer: left nipple abscess... Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for the query to HCM, It is evident from the picture that she is suffering from a duct abscess on left side of breast and the pus-point head can be seen at the tip of the nipple. It is a staph infection which has occurred possibly due to inadequate breast expression and a reverse infection into the ducts. This needs to be drained and the pus has to be removed with a surgical procedure called INCISION & DRAINAGE , followed by antibiotics like Amoxycillin for a week to promote prevention from reinfection while healing of the surgical wound. It is suggested that you should take her to the ER as this shall grow further and become more painful if not drained early. Regards