Chromogalactography preceding ductal-lobular unit excision for nipple discharge--with special reference to diagnostic...

Between 1981-88, 223 surgical interventions were performed in cases of pathologic breast secretion after exclusion of extra-mammary aetiology. The milk duct was identified by pre-operative chromogalactography, followed by a selective excision of the ductal-lobular unit. In 36 cases (16.1%), however, neither spontaneous nor provocable secretion remained after diagnostic galactography, so that a segment resection was required. In all tissue specimens, the cause of the pathologic secretion was found histologically; most often, it was fibrocystic disease or solitary intraductal papilloma (21.5% each). In 32.3% of the specimens, findings with a prospective significance (papillomatosis, carcinoma in situ or invasive carcinoma) were discovered and further operative treatment was initiated. The colour of the discharge allowed no prediction of the histological findings. In 28.6% (8/28) of the carcinomas, secretion was bilateral. In 46.4% of the specimens containing carcinoma, papillomatosis was also detected; vice versa, papillomatosis was associated with carcinoma in 22.8%. The recurrence rate of 1.6% indicates the efficiency of this method in removing the pathology. The diagnostic value of galactography for the prediction of findings with a prospective significance was considerably reduced by a rate of 37.5% false-negatives; therefore, we have decided to omit diagnostic galactography in our patients. Now, provided extra-mammary causes of the nipple discharge have been excluded and mammography has been inconspicuous, a selective excision of the ductal-lobular unit is performed after preoperative chromogalactography.