Bilateral Axillary Accessory Breast Tissue Revealed by Pregnancy

• Published in: Chirurgia (Bucharest, Romania : 1990) Vol. 111; no. 6; pp. 527 - 531
• Main Authors: Grama, Florin, Voiculescu, Ștefan, Vîrga, Ema, Burcoş, Traean, Cristian, Daniel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Romania 01-11-2016
• Subjects: Adult; Axilla - abnormalities; Axilla - diagnostic imaging; Axilla - surgery; Breast; Choristoma; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Patient Satisfaction; Pregnancy; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1221-9118
• DOI: 10.21614/chirurgia.111.6.527

We illustrate a rare case of a 28 year-old woman with bilateral axillary masses, which were uncovered during her first pregnancy only and grew progresively in size ever since. On local examination, there were two 5/3/5 cm masses with benign clinical characteristics, developed apparently on the axillary extension of the mammary gland. During lactation, a milk-like liquid was evacuated through a brownish, rudimentary, nipple located in the center of each axillary masses. One year after parturition, the MRI showed bilateral axillary breast tissue appearance, separated from the eutopic mammary gland, but having similar signal intensity. Due to aesthetic reasons and the additional risk for subsequent malignant or benign breast disease, the ectopic breast tissues were completely surgically removed. The histology report showed normal glandular breast tissue.