Bilateral Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis: Outcomes of a Tertiary Hospital

Abstract

Introduction:Bilateral granulomatous mastitis (BIGM) is a rare bilateral inflammatory pseudotumor of the breast. This study presented the clinical characteristics of BIGM and our treatment results.Methods:Thirteen patients who met the diagnostic criteria for BIGM were included in the study. The anamnesis and the results of the physical examination, clinical radiology, histopathology, microbiology, and treatment were recorded and analyzed.Results:The mean age of the patients was 36.23±8.98 years (range: 25 to 53 years). In the first session of the treatment, recurrence was observed in all (100%) patients. Until remission, the distribution of treatment methods in patients with BIGM (n=13) was as follows: 61.5% bilateral combined medical (BCM) treatment, 15.4% bilateral combined medical treatment plus surgery (BCMS), 23.1% unilateral combined medical treatment/unilateral combined medical treatment plus surgery (UCM/UCMS). The distribution of treatment methods in patients (n=26) in the unilateral subgroup was as follows: 73.1% UCM treatment and 26.9% UCMS. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between the distributions of the patients’ combined treatments. However, durations of remission (p=0.018) and follow-up (p=0.037) were significantly longer in young (p=0.037) patients.Conclusion:Although there is no significant (p>0.05) difference between patients’ combined (BCM, BCMS, UCM/UCMS, UCM, UCMS) treatment methods, the first choice for treating patients with BIGM is medical treatment methods. Surgery can be performed for patients who are resistant to medical treatment.

Keywords

• granulomatous mastiti
• idiopathic
• breast cancer
• tuberculosis
• disease treatment