Mastitis is a breast disease that develops due to impaired milk flow after completion of lactation. The cause of the disease is blockage of the ducts caused by edema, hematomas or exudate. May affect one or more lobes, may be single or multiple.
With a single chronic purulent mastitis, a hyperemic, painful compaction forms around the nipple. The anterior wall of the gland acquires a bluish tint due to the accumulation of fluid and cellular elements in the tissues. Subsequently, the scar capsule melts and a cyst forms. When inflammation subsides, scars with infiltration are formed, which are prone to recurrence when immunity decreases or preventive measures are weakened.
For the development of chronic purulent mastitis, infection in the scar is sufficient. The disease tends to be seasonal, worsening during the premenstrual period and immediately after childbirth. Possible causes of infection are cracks in the nipple, previous lactostasis, intrathoracic bleeding. In some cases, the cause may be subcutaneous fat necrosis and a decrease in sebum synthesis due to a long period of breastfeeding. The chronic form develops in the case of inadequate treatment of the primary form of mastitis or lack of proper therapy at all, including due to the individual characteristics of the body, lifestyle and care of the mammary glands.