Comparison of percutaneous ultrasound guided needed aspiration and open surgical drainage in management of puerperal breast abscess

Background: The treatment of puerperal breast abscess is a clinical dilemma which ranges from conservative treatment to surgical intervention. A recently highlighted approach is drainage of pus by needle aspiration with ultrasound guidance under antibiotic cover. This approach had advantage of complete resolution without incision scar, less morbidity and will allow the patient to carry on breast feeding. Aims & Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the management of puerperal breast abscess by percutaneous ultrasound guided needle aspiration versus open surgical drainage with special attention to resolution and complications. Material and Methods: In this interventional study, 70 puerperal breast abscess cases were randomly divided and undergone either percutaneous ultrasound guided niddle aspiration (Group A) or open surgical drainage (Group B) and results were compared. Results: Failure rate for aspiration therapy was17.14% with 06 patients requiring conversion to open surgical drainage after aspiration and were excluded from study. The resolution time was less in aspiration group. Painful and cumbersome daily changes of dressing, mammry fistula in 3 patients with ugly scar were the main drawback of open surgical drainage as compared to aspiration. However, there was high failure rate of aspiration therapy in abscesses presenting later than 5 days (45.83%) and those with >5 cm size (55.55%) on ultrasonography. Conclusion: Percutaneous ultrasound guided needle aspiration has acceptable failure rate and is an effective alternative to open surgical drainage of puerperal breast abscess especially for those present early and of small size.