Clinical Procedure and Pathway UHCW

Breast infections (including infectious mastitis and breast abscess) are more common among women aged between 15-45 years, especially those who are lactating but mastitis and breast abscesses can occur at any age

Staphylococcus aureus is the most frequently isolated pathogen

Early and appropriate management of mastitis can lead to a timely resolution of the condition and prevent complications such as breast abscess

Infectious and non-infectious mastitis treatment includes antibiotic therapy and effective milk removal if the woman is lactating

Treatment for breast abscess requires source control and antibiotic therapy, which may involve aspiration, incision, and drainage procedures

It is crucial to identify and treat any underlying co-existent causes of infection to facilitate resolution and prevent recurrence of the infection

• It is necessary to exclude breast carcinoma
• Mastitis is defined as inflammation of the breast, with or without infection
• Mastitis with infection may be lactational (puerperal) or non-lactational (e.g., duct ectasia)
• Non-infectious mastitis includes idiopathic granulomatous inflammation and other inflammatory conditions (e.g.foreign body reaction)
• A breast abscess is a localised area of infection with a walled-off collection of pus. It may or may not be associated with mastitis (BMJ, 2023)

 

 

References

• (BMJ 2023) Mastitis and breast abscess – Symptoms, diagnosis and treatment | BMJ Best Practice
• Mastitis and breast abscess | Health topics A to Z | CKS | NICE
• Local antibiotic guidance guidance