Galactoceles are milk retention cysts that primarily occur during or shortly after lactation. The typical presentation includes a firm nontender or mildly tender breast mass. Ultrasound is the preferred modality to evaluate palpable breast masses in lactating patients.
Galactoceles usually resolve on their own in most cases, as the hormonal changes linked to lactation settle down.
Aspiration of milky fluid and resolution of the axillary lump after aspiration confirmed the diagnosis of galactocele. Galactocele can present as a suspicious tumoral lesion in the axillary accessory breast and diagnostic aspiration can help in correct diagnosis of this rare lesion in the accessory breast.
Will galactoceles go away on their own? If they aren't painful, the standard treatment for a galactocole is the same as it is for a cyst: just leaving them alone. If they are painful, they can be drained via fine needle aspiration (though unfortunately, they sometimes fill up again).
A galactocele is a retention cyst caused by lactiferous duct occlusion. They feel like ordinary cysts but they contain milk instead of just clear fluid. While they can be uncomfortable, they are not dangerous. Percutaneous aspiration is performed in order to diagnose the lesion.
Galactoceles can be caused by any etiology that blocks a breast duct during lactation, but, in most cases, it is the result of a benign condition. Galactoceles are similar to ordinary cysts, but, instead of clear fluid, they contain milk. They can mimic fibroadenoma, carcinoma, and other breast masses [3].
A galactocele is a milk containing cystic enlargement of a mammary gland caused by a blocked milk ducts. Due to the blockage, the areas of the breast become firm and painful.
These cysts may rupture leading to formation of inflammatory reaction and may mimic malignancy. Once lactation has ended the cyst should resolve on its own without intervention. A galactocele is not normally infected as the milk within is sterile and has no outlet through which to become contaminated.
On ultrasound, galactoceles may appear in a variety of ways, some of which are similar in appearance to solid masses, including some breast cancers. But generally speaking, galactoceles appear on a sonogram as small, round hypoechoic nodules.
Treatment: A true galactocele does not need to be drained or aspirated. If drained, it will likely refill quickly. It will decrease in size once you stop breastfeeding. If you are diagnosed with a galactocele and are told it needs to be drained, get a second opinion from a breast surgeon.
Macroscopically, the milk within the galactocele may appear white and of usual viscosity if fresh, or thickened if the liquid is older.
A galactocele typically contains low-level echoes and is located within the actual breast itself.
Piperacillin-tazobactam and daptomycin are alternative antibiotics that are safe and effective during lactation. Explantation is the definitive treatment for implant exposure, purulent drainage of fluid, and infections resistant to antibiotics.
In most cases, you don't need treatment. Simple breast cysts don't cause any harm and sometimes even go away on their own. If the cyst is uncomfortable, your healthcare provider can drain the fluid from it with a needle.
Fine-needle aspiration may be used to diagnose and treat a breast cyst if all the fluid can be removed from the cyst during the procedure, and then your breast lump disappears and your symptoms resolve. For some breast cysts, however, you may need to have fluid drained more than once. Recurrent or new cysts are common.
A breast cyst often feels like a grape or a water-filled balloon, but sometimes a breast cyst feels firm. Breast cysts don't require treatment unless a cyst is large and painful or uncomfortable. In that case, draining the fluid from a breast cyst can ease symptoms.
One of the biggest signs of a blocked milk duct is a hard lump on your breast. It'll be painful or sore when you touch it. It may be red or large enough to be visible if you look at your breast in a mirror. If you've ever dealt with engorgement, the lump from a clogged duct feels like that.
Galactocele is usually presented as a painless breast enlargement with a fluctuant, soft, mobile, and non-tender mass in the breast. It is a rare disorder in the male pediatric age group, with only 31 cases reported in the literature.
Depending on the location and size of the galactocele, it can complicate the milk ejection. It does not change its size after a feed and is not usually accompanied by pain or fever.
A galactocele can vary in size from small (1–2 cm) to very large (>10 cm) and may fluctuate during the day being smaller after a breastfeed (Mitchell et al, 2022). The galactocele feels like a smooth, round, moveable sac inside the breast. It is not usually painful or tender.
Squeezing Montgomery glands
Although they look a bit like small pimples that could be popped, they're a normal part of your breast anatomy and should be left alone. Attempting to remove the tubercles by squeezing or picking might make them even more noticeable, or cause them to become infected.
Even if they're detected as a lump, bump or mass in the breast, they're usually painless. Breast cysts, on the other hand, if they develop quickly, often compress the tissue around them and can cause pain. So, while some breast cysts may be painless, they tend to appear as a lump that hurts.
Warm compress: Applying a warm compress to the affected breast can help reduce pain and swelling associated with galactoceles. A warm shower or bath can also be helpful in reducing discomfort. Breast massage: Massaging the breast gently can help to clear the blockage in the milk duct and promote milk flow.
If you experience any of the following symptoms, you may have a blocked milk duct: You may feel a small, tender lump in your breast. The area where the lump is may be red or darker. The lump may feel soft, dense, or tender.
A cancerous lump is usually hard, not soft or squishy. And it often has angular, irregular, asymmetrical edges, as opposed to being smooth, Dr. Comander says. In order for you to feel a cancerous lump, it probably has to be rather large and closer to the surface of the skin.