case_images: PMC11828490_01
case_images: Breast condition. A. A photograph taken by her mother showed large skin necrosis.. B. A large skin defect and milk retention were observed in the upper part of her left breast.
case_images: cureus-0017-00000077498-i01.jpg
case_images: PMC11828490_01_cureus-0017-00000077498-i01.jpg
case_images: FIG1
case_images: UC and consulted the attending obstetrician. Under the tentative diagnosis of galactocele by the doctor, the patient initially received breast massage, unfortunately leading to rapid skin color change (Figure 1A). On her first visit to our hospital, a large skin defect, larger than 10cm in size, and milk retention were observed on the exposed mammary gland (Figure 1B).
case_images: Pathological findings. A. Low-magnification view of the exposed breast tissue pathologically showed centrilobular lymphocyte and plasma cell infiltration (arrows) and granuloma formation (arrowheads).. B. Magnified view showed numerous lymphocytes around the lobules (arrows) and multiple neutrophils (arrowheads).. C. The postoperative pathological study showed fibrosis (arrowheads) and lymphocyte and plasma cell (arrows) infiltration around the vessels.. D. The postoperative pathological study showed mild lymphocyte infiltration around the lobules (arrowheads) and mammary ducts (arrows).
case_images: cureus-0017-00000077498-i02.jpg
case_images: PMC11828490_01_cureus-0017-00000077498-i02.jpg
case_images: FIG2
case_images: A pathological study using a tiny tissue of the exposed mammary gland showed centrilobular lymphocyte/plasma cell infiltration and granuloma formation with neutrophil infiltration (Figures 2A, 2B), leading to the diagnosis of GM. The postoperative pathological study of the exposed breast tissue showed massive granulation tissue, slight periductal lymphocyte infiltration, and no active GM findings (Figures 2C, 2D).
case_images: Cosmetic outcomes. A. Although the skin defect size significantly decreased, a large skin defect (arrow) was still observed after steroid therapy.. B. The large skin defect was successfully covered with the latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous flap without nipple deviation.
case_images: cureus-0017-00000077498-i03.jpg
case_images: PMC11828490_01_cureus-0017-00000077498-i03.jpg
case_images: FIG3
case_images: The large skin defect significantly shrank but remained still large even after the steroid therapy (Figure 3A). The patient was discharged without any complications on the eighth day after the operation and has been well with excellent cosmetic outcomes while taking care of her child for 31 months (Figure 3B).