Duct Ectasia
Duct ectasia is a benign condition of the breast affecting the milk ducts of women with an increasing incidence towards menopause and after menopause. It is characterised by widening of the milk ducts just behind the nipple and the ducts filling with secretions. Commonly the condition may not cause symptoms, however common symptoms include:
- Nipple discharge often involving more than one duct with a variety of possible colours including creamy white, yellow, green, and dark brown to black
- Pain around the nipple
- Nipple retraction (nipple pulling inwards)
- Pain and the redness due to secondary infection
There may be an increase incidence of duct ectasia in smokers, with possibly some chemicals within cigarette smoke being implicated.
Duct ectasia may be seen on ultrasound as widened prominent ducts behind the nipple filled with secretions or on mammogram as densities centrally.
No specific treatment is required for uncomplicated cases and the condition does not increase the risk of developing breast cancer. However if a woman develops any new symptom in the breast, including those associated with duct ectasia then a thorough investigation to exclude underlying cancer should be undertaken. In cases where secondary infection occurs, treatment with antibiotics and in severe cases surgery maybe required.
