What Color Is the Discharge Associated with Mammary Duct Dilatation?

Mammary duct ectasia effusion is mostly light yellow, rice pulp color, and a little red. Mammary duct ectasia refers to the local expansion of the mammary duct, which may lead to effusion in the nipple. Mammary duct ectasia is a symptom rather than an independent disease. Common clinical manifestations of duct ectasia include intraductal papilloma, no obvious lump in the local breast, and nipple effusion, which is mostly bloody. Mammary gland hyperplasia can also lead to mammary duct ectasia, with nipple effusion mostly light yellow, rice pulp color, and a little red. Breast cancer can also cause bloody effusion.

What to do with mammary duct ectasia effusion:

1. Etiological treatment. Factors such as ductal excretion disorders, infection, and abnormal stimulation can all lead to mammary duct ectasia. Patients should immediately investigate the etiology after discovering the effusion to identify and resolve the triggers. Failure to prioritize etiological treatment may lead to repeated conditions and unsatisfactory treatment outcomes.

2. Medication treatment. There are many treatment options for mammary duct ectasia, but they can be broadly categorized into glucocorticoids, tamoxifen, and broad-spectrum antibiotics. Broad-spectrum antibiotics can help patients control inflammation, glucocorticoids can improve abscess and pain symptoms, and tamoxifen is mainly used for patients with abnormal hormone levels.

3. General treatment. This approach mainly includes breast care, psychological counseling, and attention to contraindications. In breast care, patients should regularly clean the effusion, avoid breast compression, and promptly eliminate breast inflammation. As for contraindications, patients should avoid sleeping on their sides, smoking, and eating stimulating foods. In psychological counseling, patients should focus on regulating fear and anxiety, as negative psychological states can affect the treatment of mammary duct ectasia.

4. Surgical treatment. If the patient's mammary duct ectasia has progressed to a severe stage, resection or drainage surgery may be required. After surgery, patients need to continue with medication treatment and breast care to ensure complete recovery.