Factors Associated With Procedural Complications in Lactating Patients Undergoing Image-Guided Core-Needle Breast...

Area of Science:

• Radiology and Imaging
• Breast Health
• Surgical Pathology

Background:

• Lactating patients undergoing breast biopsies face unique postprocedural risks.
• Understanding complication factors is crucial for patient care and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate patient and procedural factors associated with complications in lactating patients undergoing image-guided core-needle breast biopsies.
• To identify risks for milk fistula and infection following biopsy.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 97 core-needle breast biopsies in 88 lactating patients (December 2012 - February 2024).
• Analysis of imaging findings, procedural details, pathology, and 30-day complications.
• Statistical analysis using Fisher's exact test, logistic regression, and chi-squared test.

Main Results:

• A 21.6% complication rate was observed, including milk fistula (12.5%) and infection (11.4%).
• Biopsies near the obstetric delivery date and closer to the nipple increased complication risk (P = .03, P = .04).
• Milk fistula significantly elevated infection risk (OR=16, P = .0003); 81.8% resolved with continued breastfeeding.

Conclusions:

• Core-needle biopsies in lactating patients can lead to complications, though serious events are infrequent.
• Biopsy needle gauge and tissue volume did not correlate with milk fistula or other complications.
• Most milk fistulas resolve without interrupting breastfeeding, highlighting the importance of conservative management.