Aims: To review cases of galactorrhea and galactocele postbreast augmentation, determine possible risk factors and consider management strategies of this rare complication.
Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted in July 2019 searching Pubmed, Embase, and Google Scholar.
Results: The searches revealed 19 articles (17 case reports/series and 2 retrospective chart reviews) collectively comprising 38 women. The average age was 28 years, 42% were on oral contraceptives, whereas a quarter were nulliparous. The most common incision was periareolar (48%) followed by transaxillary (24%). The most common implant location was subglandular (57%) followed by subpectoral (37%). The average time to symptom onset was 61 days (range, 3-912 days) but only 3 cases presented more than a month after implant insertion. Twenty-one patients had galactorrhea, 7 had galactocele, whereas 10 women had both. Bilateral symptoms were present in 72% of cases, whereas hyperprolactinemia was present in only 62%. Management strategies included simple surveillance, antibiotics, dopamine agonists, leukotriene receptor antagonists, estrogenic agents, surgical washout, and implant removal (8 patients). The mean time to symptom resolution was 22.6 days.
Conclusions: The numbers are too small for definitive conclusions but there is a weak suggestion that periareolar incisions, subglandular implants, prior hormonal contraceptive use, gravidity, and recent history of breastfeeding (<1 year) may be risk factors for galactorrhea/galactocele. Symptom onset is usually within 3 months. Treatments providing the fastest response (2 days) comprised of a composite approach (antibiotics, dopamine agonist, surgical drainage, and implant removal), whereas the use of estrogenic medications appeared to confer little benefit.