Newborn/Schoolchild (Mastitis)

tubr_2a_n.jpg: Older newborn with a left-sided swelling of the anterior chest wall. The left breast is conical like a physiological breast enlargement of the newborn or a premature thelarche in a toddler (isolated premature breast enlargement) and exhibits a red halo. The areola is enlarged and yellowish. In contrast to the right side, the mammilla can be only assumed in the middle of the lower quadrants. The diagnosis is an acute left-sided mastitis of the newborn immediately prior to the spontaneous perforation of an abscess. (I owe this picture to K. Roth, Pediatric Surgery, CH-Aarau and Baden). tubr_2b_n.jpg: Local findings in a 10.6-year-old girl who complained of pain in the right breast. The child has an already advanced development of the breasts. There is a distinct redness in both outer quadrants of the right breast. Clinically, there are no signs of an abscess on palpation, which was also confirmed by ultrasound. Therefore, a non-operative treatment with antibiotics is indicated. Mastitis occurs less frequently in children beyond the neonatal period and during puberty. It may occur after an acute trauma to the thoracic wall with abrasion of the skin, or after intensive sports exercise. Early treatment is mandatory to avoid abscess incision. (I owe this picture to K. Langanke, Department of Pediatric Surgery (Prof. Z. Zachariou), Inselspital CH-Bern).