Primary Breast Tuberculosis: Report of a Case

Kamil Gulpinar, S. Erpulat Ozis, Suleyman Ozdemir, Atilla Korkmaz

Department of General Surgery, Ufuk University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.

DOI: 10.4236/ss.2013.41012                

Abstract

Mammary tuberculosis is a rare clinical entity, often mimicking breast cancer or abscesses. A 26-year-old female presented with a painful left breast mass and an associated sinus tract with purulent discharge. Physical examination revealed a tender, erythematous, firm left breast mass with an associated sinus tract opening with discharge within the upper outer quadrant of her left breast with a clinically palpable left axillary lymphadenopathy. Ultrasound revealed nonspecific findings and mammography could not utilize due her young age. A surgical procedure was planned and the left breast mass was completely removed by an open surgical biopsy including left axillary lymphnodes and the hystopathological evaluation of the specimen revealed findings consistent with mammary tuberculosis whereas no other nidus for tuberculosis were found within the organs including lungs. Primary mammary tuberculosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any case of a painful breast mass that appears refractory to conventional therapy.

Keywords

Primary Mammary Tuberculosis; Breast

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

[1]	R. Khanna, et al., “Mammary Tuberculosis: Report on 52 Cases,” Postgraduate Medical Journal, Vol. 78, No. 921, 2002, pp. 422-424. doi:10.1136/pmj.78.921.422
[2]	S. N. Banerjee, et al., “Tuberculous Mastitis: A Continuing Problem,” World Journal of Surgery, Vol. 11, No. 1, 1987, pp. 105-109. doi:10.1007/BF01658471
[3]	S. R. Shinde, R. Y. Chandawarkar and S. P. Deshmukh, “Tuberculosis of the Breast Masquerading as Carcinoma: A Study of 100 Patients,” World Journal of Surgery, Vol. 19, No. 3, 1995, pp. 379-381. doi:10.1007/BF00299163
[4]	S. H. Harris, et al., “Mammary Tuberculosis: Analysis of Thirty-Eight Patients,” ANZ Journal of Surgery, Vol. 76, No. 4, 2006, pp. 234-237. doi:10.1111/j.1445-2197.2006.03692.x
[5]	F. Zandrino, F. Monetti and N. Gandolfo, “Primary Tuberculosis of the Breast. A Case Report,” Acta Radiologica, Vol. 41, No. 1, 2000, pp. 61-63. doi:10.1080/028418500127344768
[6]	P. Schnarkowski, et al., “Tuberculosis of the Breast: US, Mammographic, and CT Findings,” Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography, Vol. 18, No. 6, 1994, pp. 970-971. doi:10.1097/00004728-199411000-00023
[7]	D. J. Crowe, M. A. Helvie and T. E. Wilson, “Breast Infection. Mammographic and Sonographic Findings with Clinical Correlation,” Investigative Radiology, Vol. 30, No. 10, 1995, pp. 582-587. doi:10.1097/00004424-199510000-00003
[8]	D. Makanjuola, et al., “Mammographic Features of Breast Tuberculosis: The Skin Bulge and Sinus Tract Sign,” Clinical Radiology, Vol. 51, No. 5, 1996, pp. 354-358. doi:10.1016/S0009-9260(96)80115-2
[9]	K. K. Oh, J. H. Kim and S. H. Kook, “Imaging of Tuberculous Disease Involving Breast,” European Radiology, Vol. 8, No. 8, 1998, pp. 1475-1480. doi:10.1007/s003300050578
[10]	C. Romero, et al., “Mammary Tuberculosis: Percutaneous Treatment of a Mammary Tuberculous Abscess,” European Radiology, Vol. 10, No. 3, 2000, pp. 531-533. doi:10.1007/s003300050091
[11]	H. F. Hamit and T. H. Ragsdale, “Mammary Tuberculosis,” Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, Vol. 75, No. 10, 1982, pp. 764-765.
[12]	I. Maroulis, et al., “Mammary Tuberculosis Mimicking Breast Cancer: A Case Report,” Journal of Medical Case Reports, Vol. 2, 2008, p. 34. doi:10.1186/1752-1947-2-34
[13]	C. Jaideep, M. Kumar and A. K. Khanna, “Male Breast Tuberculosis,” Postgraduate Medical Journal, Vol. 73, No. 861, 1997, pp. 428-429. doi:10.1136/pgmj.73.861.428
[14]	S. P. Luh, et al., “Primary Tuberculous Infection of Breast: Experiences of Surgical Resection for Aged Patients and Review of Literature,” Journal of Zhejiang University Science B, Vol. 8, No. 8, 2007, pp. 580-583. doi:10.1631/jzus.2007.B0580
[15]	H. S. Shukla and S. Kumar, “Benign Breast Disorders in Nonwestern Populations: Part II—Benign Breast Disorders in India,” World Journal of Surgery, Vol. 13, No. 6, 1989, pp. 746-749. doi:10.1007/BF01658426
[16]	S. Kervancioglu, et al., “Primary Tuberculosis of the Breast,” Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Vol. 11, No. 4, 2005, pp. 210-212.
[17]	E. Goksoy, et al., “Tuberculosis of the Breast,” European Journal of Surgery, Vol. 161, No. 7, 1995, pp. 471-473.
[18]	M. Tewari and H. S. Shukla, “Breast Tuberculosis: Diagnosis, Clinical Features & Management,” Indian Journal of Medical Research, Vol. 122, No. 2, 2005, pp. 103-110.