Gamal M. Saied

Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University. Egypt

Title: Isolated Mammary Tuberculosis in Egyptian Women: Enhancing a Novel Treatment Strategy Avoiding Surgery

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Biography

Research Interest

Tuberculosis is a rare but important disease if it affects the female breast. Owing to lack of evidence, recent literature does not provide clear guidelines for its management. This study aimed to test whether surgery is necessary in the treatment protocol or not and to describe a new strategy. This is an interventional prospective study in 17 months (August 2021- December 2022) comprising 28 patients referred for surgical management. They had had vague clinical manifestations in their breasts proved to be tuberculosis by work up. The mean age was 40 years; the left breast was affected in 71.4 % with no bilateral cases. Both lump and diffuse patterns were the presenting problem in 67.8% of cases. Sinus formation and skin ulcers were observed in 46.4% while axillary lymphadenopathy was present in 17.9 %. The universal finding on sono-mammography was a bizarre picture not useful in the final diagnosis. Fine needle aspiration cytology and open biopsy were done to substantiate the diagnosis and to exclude carcinoma. The tubercle bacilli were not detected in all specimens. Based on satisfactory clinical data, patients received 2 phase anti-tuberculous therapy (ATT) for 6 months and treatment outcome was assessed repeatedly for up to 1 year. There were no relapsing cases and surgery was required in none.