Breast Unit
Duct ectasia
Duct ectasia
Duct ectasia is a relatively common benign (non-cancerous) condition. It affects the milk ducts behind the nipple. It is considered as part of the normal development and involution (ageing) process that affects all breasts.
Duct ectasia means dilatation or swelling of the ducts, which may fill up with whitish, brownish or greenish secretions. This can sometimes cause pain and nipple discharge, and sometimes the swollen ducts can feel like a lump. In long-standing cases the nipples can sometimes invert.
The condition itself doesn't require any treatment, but a mammogram and when necessary an ultrasound scan are required to confirm the condition and exclude anything more serious.
If the symptoms become really troublesome, sometimes an operation removing all the ducts from behind the nipple maybe necessary.
