[Drainage of large breast abscesses with reference to esthetic and functional aspects]

In 11 puerperal women, a breast abscess was treated by drainage from the inframammary fold. Eight patients wished to continue breast feeding. During the healing period, the babies were not breast fed on the operated side. In 3 patients, the skin over the abscess necrotised, resulting in a defect of 1 to 2 cm. In 2 patients, a small seroma had to be punctured after removing the drainage tube. Aesthetic results were judged by the patients as good. Resumation of suckling on the operated side revealed only 15 to 20% milk yield compared to that of the other breast. This treatment meets aesthetic and function-preserving criteria.