Conditions We See At Our Lee, NH Office

IMPLANT RUPTURE

Implants are durable but they aren’t made to last forever – it’s natural for them to rupture over time even if they were placed by an expert surgeon. Implants can rupture quickly or over the course of months to years. If you have saline implants, it will probably be obvious to you that your implant has ruptured. Common symptoms include a decrease in breast size and loss of fullness, especially of the upper breast. If you have silicone implants, it may be harder to tell if they are intact. Many silicone implants are “silent” – the silicone is trapped within the breast and the size of the breast doesn’t change. Some silicone ruptures, however, can cause pain, obvious visible deformity, or a lump. If you suspect either type of rupture, call your surgeon. If your implants were placed many years ago and you can’t reach your surgeon, call the doctor that orders your mammogram, or give us a call at Breast Center of New England and we’ll help you figure out your next steps.

BREAST PAIN

The bad news: breast pain is extremely common and affects more than half of women at some point. It can also affect men. The good news: breast pain is unlikely to be the first or main sign of cancer. Breast pain can be cyclical, related to a menstrual cycle and usually starting about a week before your period. Breast pain can also be non-cyclical – pain that can either come and go or be constant, but does not seem to be timed to the menstrual cycle. Your doctor may wish to evaluate your pain depending on your age, the type of pain you have, the presence of any other breast problems, and how long it’s been since your last mammogram,. The most common tests used to evaluate breast pain are mammograms and ultrasounds. For more information from a reputable website, visit:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/breast-pain/symptoms-causes/syc-20350423

LUMPS

Breast lumps are common, in part because breast tissue itself can feel very uneven. When you feel a lump, you should call your doctor. Things to look out for are anything new or asymmetric to the opposite side, lumps that seem to be getting bigger, or skin and nipple changes. At Breast Center of New England we evaluate questioned lumps using a combination of diagnostic mammography and targeted ultrasound. Most of the time, these breast lumps are due to benign (non-cancerous) causes, usually normal breast tissue or fluid-filled masses called cysts. You’ll be evaluated by our trained staff and will receive your results from the doctor that day.

MASTITIS/ABSCESS

Mastitis is an infection of the breast. It almost always causes breast pain and skin changes. Mastitis is common in breastfeeding women, but can happen outside of lactation. Mastitis is usually treated with antibiotics. Call your doctor if you notice changes that are worrisome for infection. Most of the time, no imaging is necessary to diagnose mastitis. However, if your doctor determines you do need imaging, a mammogram will be performed (if it can be tolerated), followed by ultrasound.

CYSTS

Cysts are pockets of fluid that can occur all over the body. They are extremely common in organs that make fluid like the breasts, the liver, and the kidneys. In the breasts, we categorize cysts as solitary, multiple, or clustered, and further categorize what they look like as simple, complicated, and complex.

A simple cyst is a pocket of fluid that looks black on ultrasound, and is benign. The fluid inside does not have a blood supply, and this abnormality can not turn into a breast cancer. These masses do not need any follow up imaging or a biopsy, but can sometimes be painful enough to warrant needle aspiration for symptom relief.

A complicated cyst is a cyst that contains thicker fluid than a simple cyst, and perhaps internal webs or bands called septations. It’s usually straightforward to determine a mass is a complicated cyst, but if there are any questions, a repeat ultrasound may be useful to make sure.

A complex cyst, also called a complex cystic mass, is a mass that contains fluid but also contains another abnormality such as something that looks like a solid mass. Complex cysts should be biopsied.

INJURY

Breast tissue is easily bruised, and these bruises can show up on mammograms and by ultrasound. A hematoma is a bruise with a pocket of fluid. Fat necrosis is an injury to the fatty portion of the breast tissue (often the subcutaneous fat) that can be caused by trauma, surgery, or radiation. Fat necrosis can be related to a hematoma, but unlike a hematoma it may not heal entirely. These processes are benign (not cancer), but may need to be evaluated with a mammogram and/or ultrasound.

NIPPLE DISCHARGE

Nipple discharge, or fluid leaking from one or both nipples, can be any color. It can be normal or abnormal depending on the circumstances: what color it is, and how and when it happens. For example, it’s normal to have clear, green or yellow-tinted, or milky fluid leak from both nipples for years after pregnancy or breastfeeding, especially if you’ve squeezed your nipples. However, it’s not normal to notice brown or bloody fluid on your bra, coming from one nipple only. If this is happening to you, call your doctor to get evaluated. Nipple discharge is evaluated with a breast examination, mammography, and ultrasound. MRI can also be used to evaluate nipple discharge, and if the discharge is concerning, it’s a good idea to see a surgeon.