Percutaneous catheter drainage of breast abscesses.

Experiences with ultrasonically guided percutaneous catheter drainage of breast abscesses (BA) are presented. The 12 cases were: 10 non-lactating women, one lactating women, and one HIV-positive man. The percutaneous procedure employed was successful in all cases. The mean duration of drainage was 5 days post-catheter insertion. All percutaneous drainages and subsequent follow-up were performed in the outpatient clinic. No recurrence of BA was observed. Percutaneous drainage of BA is a simple, effective and economical technique. Its use is recommended as an alternative to surgical drainage.