Tubercular mastitis--a rare presentation

Breast Tuberculosis is a rare form of tuberculosis even in tuberculosis endemic countries like India and its identity is often mistaken with breast cancer and pyogenic breast abscess. A 22-year-old married female, with history of child birth one month back, lactating, presented at peripheral hospital with progressively increasing pain and redness in the upper outer and central portion of her right breast. She was diagnosed as breast abscess and incisional drainage of abscess was carried out. However, patient's symptoms progressed and an ulcer began to appear on upper outer quadrant of her right breast which rapidly progressed to involve almost whole breast destroying nipple-areola complex. She was referred to our institution for further management. Debridement of the lesion was carried out and tissue sent for histopathological examination which revealed chronic granulomatous inflammation with caseating necrosis. Patient was put on anti-tubercular treatment for a period of six months. The whole ulcer healed up and she is doing well at present.