Lactation breast abscess treated with Gualou Xiaoyong decoction and painless lactation manipulation: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND: Breast abscess during lactation is a severe complication of acute mastitis, which can lead to discomfort, high fever, breast fistula, sepsis, septic shock, breast damage, disease persistence and frequent hospitalization. Breast abscesses may also lead the mother to discontinue breastfeeding, thereby harming the infant’s health. The predominant pathogenic bacteria are Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Streptococcus. The incidence of breastfeeding abscesses in breastfeeding women ranges between 4.0% and 11.0%. In cases of breast abscess, the rate of cessation of lactation is 41.0%. In instances of breast fistula, the rate of cessation of lactation is very high (66.7%). Furthermore, 50.0% of women with breast abscesses must be hospitalized and treated with intravenous antibiotics. Treatment includes antibiotics, abscess puncture and surgical incision and drainage. The patients suffer from stress, pain and easily induced breast scarring; the disease’s progression is prolonged and recurrent, interfering with infant feeding. Consequently, it is crucial to discover an adequate cure. CASE SUMMARY: A 28-year-old woman with a breast abscess was treated with Gualou Xiaoyong decoction and painless breast opening manipulation 24 d after cesarean delivery. On the 2(nd) d of treatment, the patient’s breast mass was significantly reduced, the pain was significantly reduced, and the general asthenia was improved. All conscious symptoms disappeared after 3 d, breast abscesses faded after 12 d of treatment, inflammation images disappeared after 27 d, and normal lactation images were restored. CONCLUSION: In treating breast abscesses during breastfeeding, the combination of Gualou Xiaoyong decoction and painless lactation provides a positive therapeutic impact. This disease’s treatment offers the advantages of a short course of treatment, no need to discontinue breastfeeding and the ability to rapidly mitigate symptoms, which can be used as a reference in clinical practice.