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Axillary ectopic breast tissue in the adolescent

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Abstract

Aim

Ectopic breast tissue (EBT) includes a spectrum of disease that entails other entities based on the presence of glandular tissue, nipple, or areola. The diagnosis in adolescents is infrequent.

Methods

A retrospective study was performed including girls with axillary EBT (class IV or V of Kajava’s Classification) operated in 2006–2020. Imagining studies, clinical and surgical reports, and histopathology were reviewed.

Results

Eleven girls from 13 to 16 years old were included. Two patients (18.2%) presented bilateral EBT. The most frequent clinical manifestation was 2–5 cm mass (100%), associating cyclic pain with menstruation (45%) and fluctuating volume (36%). Bilateral axillary ultrasonography allowed preoperative diagnosis. All of them were treated by open excision, through small incisions located in an axillary y fold. Clinical and aesthetic results were self-assessed as “very good”, with normalization of the axillary y hollow and imperceptible scars. No recurrences were observed after one year of follow-up. An immediate postoperative hematoma was reported, which did not require drainage. Histopathology showed mature breast tissue without atypia.

Conclusions

Axillary accessory breasts must be included in differential diagnosis of pediatric axillary masses. Bilateral ultrasonography is recommended for the preoperative diagnosis. Excision through minimal incision at this age seems to be safe and effective.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Plastic Pediatric Surgery, Pediatric Surgery Department, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, c/O’Donnell, 52, 28007, Madrid, Spain

    M. De la Torre, C. Lorca-García, E. de Tomás & B. Berenguer

Authors
  1. M. De la Torre
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  2. C. Lorca-García
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  3. E. de Tomás
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  4. B. Berenguer
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Contributions

Study conception and design: de la Torre M, Lorca-Garcia C and Berenguer B Data acquisition: de la Torre M and De Tomás E. Analysis and data interpretation: Lorca-Garcia C and Berenguer B Drafting of the manuscript: de la Torre M and Lorca-Garcia C. Critical revision: Berenguer B and De Tomas E.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. De la Torre.

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Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Conflict of interest

Beatriz Berenguer, Concepción Lorca-García, Manuel de la Torre, and Elena de Tomás declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Highlights

  • Axillary accessory breasts must be included in differential diagnosis of pediatric axillary masses.

  • Bilateral ultrasonography is widely recommended for the preoperative diagnosis.

  • Excision through minimal incision at this age seems to be safe and effective.

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De la Torre, M., Lorca-García, C., de Tomás, E. et al. Axillary ectopic breast tissue in the adolescent. Pediatr Surg Int 38, 1445–1451 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-022-05184-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00383-022-05184-1

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