Galactocele

Galactoceles, occasionally termed lactocele or a lacteal cyst, are benign milk retention cysts that primarily arise in lactating or recently lactating patients due to a persistent obstruction of the lactiferous duct. The term galactocele is derived from the Greek words , meaning milky white, and , meaning pouch, and is the most commonly diagnosed benign breast mass in lactating patients. This obstruction of the lactiferous duct causes milk to accumulate in a cystic structure, which can present clinically as a mass of varying size, from a barely palpable mass to a large mass measuring greater than 10 cm. Typically presenting as a moderately firm, painless unilateral or bilateral mass, galactoceles may grow or decrease in size during their clinical course. While galactoceles are generally not associated with pain or inflammation, complications can arise, leading to infection. Although a galactocele can occur anywhere along the milk line extending from the axilla to the groin, it has a propensity to form in the retroareolar region of the breasts (see Galactocele, Retroareolar Region of Left Breast). Differentiating galactoceles from other breast pathologies, such as cysts, fibroadenomas, abscesses, or malignancies, is essential. Ultrasonography of a galactocele typically reveals a cystic fluid collection, and in symptomatic cases, fine-needle aspiration (FNA) may be performed for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Although many galactoceles resolve spontaneously, symptomatic or infected patients often require medical intervention, including drainage and antibiotics.