Atheroma of the breast and nipple

The mammary glands contain a great many holocrine, sebaceous glands, which can be a fertile ground for the formation of various subcutaneous neoplasms, including atheroma.

Atheroma of the mammary gland develops asymptomatically in the initial stage and can manifest itself with clinical signs either at large sizes, when the cyst is difficult to miss, or during suppuration, when redness, pain and all signs of an inflammatory process appear, including an increase in body temperature.

Unlike other breast neoplasms, atheroma is classified as a benign tumor-like cyst, but it should be removed surgically, since there is no truly effective conservative method of treating such formations. Atheroma is formed as a result of the accumulation of epithelial, sebaceous secretion in the sebaceous gland and subsequent blockage of its excretory duct. An atheromatous cyst of the mammary gland can develop to large sizes, being subject to mechanical friction, can become inflamed and suppurate.

Atheroma of the mammary gland has the following clinical signs:

• When palpated, it is defined as a compaction with clear boundaries and contours.
• The cyst is painless and partially fused with the skin.
• When an atheroma becomes purulent, it can cause pain; fluctuation (mobility of the cyst capsule) can be clearly felt in the area of inflammation.
• When examined on a mammogram, the atheroma is visible as a darkened area, its density is comparable to the density of breast tissue. The contour of the cyst is quite clear.
• During an ultrasound examination, an atheroma appears as an anechoic zone, less often a hypoechoic area, with clear boundaries, tightly adjacent to the tissues of the mammary gland, splitting them into sheets.

Diagnosis of atheroma requires differentiation, its main indicator is considered to be preoperative puncturing and tissue sampling for histological examination. Removal of atheroma of the breast is performed surgically, during the operation the cyst is removed together with the capsule and partially surrounding tissues in order to prevent relapses. The wound is sutured with cosmetic sutures. Small atheromas detected at the initial stage of development are well removed using laser techniques - several sessions. This method helps not only to achieve the desired result, but also to avoid secondary infection of the wound surface, as well as postoperative sutures. Despite the fact that the retention cyst of the sebaceous gland of the breast is a benign neoplasm and is extremely rare (in 0.2% of all cases of neoplasms in this area), it should be diagnosed and removed in a timely manner, since the mammary glands are considered a risk zone for the development of various oncological processes.

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Atheroma on the nipple

Atheroma refers to retention follicular cysts, in the area of the nipple areola there are also quite a lot of hair follicles, which can become the basis for the formation of small atheromas, subcutaneous cysts. Such neoplasms in women appear as a result of blockage of the excretory duct during hormonal disorders, during lactation, in men such phenomena can also be associated with dysfunction of the hormonal system, metabolic disorders. A rarer provoking factor can be pollution, failure to comply with personal hygiene rules or damage to the skin, inflammation in the nipple area.

Atheroma on the nipple is extremely rare; another type of retention cyst is more common – galactocele, which forms during breastfeeding as a blockage of the milk duct.

Atheroma is a benign neoplasm, rarely suppurates in the nipple area and is not large. More often, multiple small cysts form in this area - atheromatosis. Visually, it is defined as a small seal, often with a white spot in the middle. Subcutaneous nipple cysts require differential diagnosis and possibly surgical treatment. A follicular nipple cyst can be removed by puncturing on an outpatient basis, less often a more extensive operation is performed if the atheroma reaches a size of more than 1 centimeter in diameter. You should not squeeze out or open small formations in the chest area on your own, especially in the vulnerable nipple area. A doctor's consultation will help determine how alarming the atheroma is, atheromatosis (many small formations) in the initial stage responds well to simple treatment methods - hygienic procedures, wiping with alcohol, antiseptic solutions.

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