Treatment of mammary duct fistula by fistulectomy and saucerization

This study was designed to assess the efficacy and long-term outcome of fistulectomy and saucerization for treatment of mammary duct fistulae. Mammary fistula is a chronic condition that represents the final step in what has been termed "mammary duct associated inflammatory disease sequence." The treatment is primarily surgical and may include healing by secondary intention or primary closure with or without antibiotics. Reported series are small and often include variable surgical strategies applied without consistency. A consecutive series of 53 patients who had 59 mammary duct fistulae were treated by fistulectomy with saucerization. The median age was 32 years. Wounds were allowed to heal by secondary intention and antibiotics were not used. We reviewed the case records to establish the incidence of recurrent fistula and the time to complete healing. The long-term cosmetic outcome was determined by a postal survey. After a median follow-up of 6 years there had been no relapse in 92%. There was significant delay in healing in six cases (range: 10 to 30 weeks). Thirty-eight patients (83%) gave a definite history of regularly smoking between 10 and 20 cigarettes a day. Two thirds of the patients were either pleased or satisfied with the final cosmetic result of the surgery, but more than 90% said that it left them with some distortion of the nipple. Fistulectomy and saucerization achieves long-term cure in the majority of patients with mammary duct fistula, but it results in some degree of distortion of the nipple. The strong relationship between smoking and the occurrence of mammary duct fistulae is again demonstrated.