Citation

Townley WA, Durrant CT, Gault D. Breast (Edinburgh, Scotland) 2004; 13(4): 359-361.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004)

DOI

10.1016/j.breast.2004.01.002

PMID

15325676

Abstract

Breast pain is a common complaint which usually subsides with simple reassurance or sometimes medication. This paper describes the case of a 41-year-old woman suffering from severe non-cyclical breast pain that had proved resistant to a battery of medical treatments. The pain was so disabling that it drove the patient to contemplate suicide. At the patient's request, a bilateral subcutaneous mastectomy with immediate implant reconstruction was performed, resulting in a complete resolution of the pain. Non-cyclical breast pain is less common than cyclical breast pain and tends to be more difficult to treat. This case suggests that mastectomy may be an appropriate option of last resort in the treatment of severe intractable breast pain.

Language: en

Keywords

Adult; Breast Diseases; Breast Implants; Female; Humans; Mastectomy; Pain; Plastic Surgery Procedures; Quality of Life; Severity of Illness Index; Suicide, Attempted