Gestational Gigantomastia: A Systematic Review of Case Reports

Gestational Gigantomastia: Case Report and Review of Treatment Options

Gestational gigantomastia is a rare and devastating condition involving rapid and excessive enlargement of the breast tissue during pregnancy or postpartum. We review the workup, assessment, and care of a patient with gestational gigantomastia with superimposed mastitis. Conservative treatment, medical management, and surgical options should be explored with patients. It is also important for providers to be cognizant of the psychological impact of this condition.

Idiopathic gigantomastia exacerbated during pregnancy. Its relationship with autoimmunity: A case report

Gigantomastia is a rare entity characterized by diffuse and excessive breast enlargement. It mainly occurs during puberty and pregnancy as a consequence of hormonal fluctuations. We report an unusual case of gigantomastia in a 29-year-old woman with a history of personal and familiar autoimmune phenomena. She had autoimmune thyroiditis and several positive autoantibodies, and developed 3 crises of the disease, 1 related to pregnancy (possibly hormone-mediated), and 2 unrelated to pregnancy in which an autoimmune role is raised based in clinical, histological and laboratory findings. Immunological aspects that may be involved in this presentation of the disease are discussed.

Lessons learned in severe axillary gestational gigantomastia

Gestational gigantomastia involving axillary breast tissue can be safely resected during pregnancy; early management is paramount in preventing progression and limiting impact on pregnancy.

A Systematic Literature Review of the Clinical Presentation, Management, and Outcome of Gestational Gigantomastia in the 21st Century

BACKGROUND

Gestational gigantomastia (GG) is an uncommon pregnancy condition, and the underlying cause of GG has yet to be determined. Medical management and surgery are two treatment options for GG, and breast reduction or mastectomy with delayed reconstruction is the only available surgical option. We have conducted this systematic review to summarize and critically analyze all the GG data in the literature.

METHODS

The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were adhered to in reporting this article. A systematic search was conducted in February 2022 for published case reports and case series on GG using the PubMed, MEDLINE, and Cochrane databases. The following keywords were used: macromastia, gestational gigantomastia, and gestational.

RESULTS

A total of 639 articles were searched, and only 66 case reports published between 1962 and 2022 were included. The mean patient's age at presentation was 28.79 years old. The majority of the patients were in their first trimester (n = 23, 47%). The main complaint was rapid bilateral breast enlargement (n = 54, 80.59%). Bromocriptine was the most common medical management used (n = 19/35, 54.28%). Bilateral breast reduction was the most common surgery (n = 24/48, 50%). Most patients had uneventful recovery (n = 40/54, 74.07%).

CONCLUSION

Gigantomastia is a difficult condition, in terms of its management. We have found that surgery is the gold-standard among all the cases reported; while Bromocriptine was the most commonly administered medical therapy. This systematic review provides a guideline for plastic surgeons to better facilitate their care of these patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE III

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

First case report of bilateral breast necrosis following coronary artery bypass graft using left internal mammary artery

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using internal mammary artery is a frequently performed procedure for the treatment of coronary artery disease nowadays. Ipsilateral breast necrosis is a rare and seldom reported complication that may mimic breast cancer on presentation. However, contralateral breast necrosis has not been reported to date. We are reporting the first case of bilateral breast necrosis after CABG using the left internal mammary artery. We discuss the different underlying mechanisms and possible co-factors behind the development of this rare complication, and we also share a successful management approach to conserve the breast and improve the patient's outcome.

Gigantomastia During Pregnancy Due to Burkitt Lymphoma

Gigantomastia is a rare complication of pregnancy usually associated with benign conditions and rarely with malignancies. This paper reports a non-Hodgkin lymphoma case associated with gigantomastia during pregnancy. The patient was a 30-year-old gravida one woman, with a history of rapidly enlarging right breast at 2 weeks prior to presentation. After the first diagnosis of benign gigantomastia, the continuous growth of the breast, despite the delivery and bromocriptine therapy, required further investigation of the case. The histological analysis revealed the presence of Burkitt lymphoma. Malignant causes of unilateral gigantomastia in pregnancy should be considered in the differential diagnosis of this condition.

Gestational gigantomastia with fatal outcome

Gigantomastia is a rare disease defined by an extreme and rapid enlargement of the breast, generally bilateral. The majority of cases are reported in pregnant women. Ninety-eight cases of gestational gigantomastia have been identified in electronic databases, and those with fatal outcomes comprised only 2 cases (2%). Despite its benign nature, it can lead to severe complications and even death. Its etiology has not been fully elucidated, but it has been speculated that a hormonal component may play a role in the pathogenesis. Currently, treatment options are limited, and surgery is gaining importance, but it is often not feasible in low-resource settings. Herein, we describe a case of a 30-year-old HIV-positive female with no relevant past medical history, who died due to the complications of gestational gigantomastia at the Maputo Central Hospital, in Mozambique.

Temporary banking of the nipple-areola complex in breast reconstruction following mastectomy for gigantomastia

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Gigantomastia is a breast disorder characterized by exaggerated rapid growth of the breasts.

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Mastectomy is rarely required to ensure safe delivery or control disease progression or recurrence.

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Immediate breast reconstruction with temporary banking of the NAC is one of good options for severe Gigantomastia.

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A good aesthetic result and patient’s satisfaction were attained.

Introduction

Gigantomastia is a breast disorder characterized by exaggerated rapid growth of the breasts, generally bilaterally. In some severe cases, mastectomy is required to ensure safe delivery or control disease progression or recurrence. Subsequently, most patients want to undergo breast reconstruction, including the nipple-areola complex (NAC).

Presentation of case

Here, we report our experience with temporary banking of the NAC in a patient who underwent mastectomy for severe Gigantomastia. Each NAC was temporarily transplanted into the axilla as banking tissue for NAC reconstruction at a later date. Although the color of the NAC was slightly lighter after reconstruction, it mainly kept its original color and texture in addition to medical tattooing technique. At present, there has been no recurrence and the patient is fully satisfied with her appearance.

Discussion

In this case, mastectomy was recommended because of an unbearable breast size that disturb a safety delivery, as well as respiratory and cardiac complications and skin ulcer control. Because the disease is not pathologically malignant, temporary preservation of NAC allows it to be safely used again for later nipple reconstruction.

Conclusion

Temporary banking of the nipple-areola complex in breast reconstruction following breast resection including NAC, would be one of good surgical options for benign breast tumors like　gigantomastia.

Gestational gigantomastia on a Saudi woman: A case report on surgical removal and reconstruction and management of complications, KFSH&RC

INTRODUCTION

Gestational gigantomastia (GG) is a rare condition manifesting as a fast and excessive growth of the breasts in pregnant women. Its etiology is still unclear, with theories ranging from hormonal imbalances, unregulated immune response, to hypersensitivity. Medical interventions are mainly surgical in nature, though some pharmacological medications are of debatable efficacy.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 33-year old Saudi gravida 3 para 2 presents continuous breast enlargement since the start of her pregnancy. She complains of skin ulcerations and discharge which was initially treated conservatively with topical antibiotics. Days after she came back with worsening GG symptoms, and was admitted for bilateral skin sparing mastectomy and reconstruction, and successfully recovered. The patient came back with problems concerning the surgical implant and wound infection. Emergency operation was performed for implant removal and wound treatment. Labor induction was performed by the OB-GYN on her 39 week. The patient opted for autogenous reconstruction by bilateral latissimus dorsi flap months after delivery. After treatment of minor surgical complications, the patient successfully recovered.

DISCUSSION

Surgery is one of the most effective interventions for GG. Total mastectomy is preferred due to lesser risk of recurrence in subsequent pregnancies. Reduction mammoplasty offers the breastfeeding option if conducted before the delivery, but poses higher risk of recurrence in future pregnancies.

CONCLUSION

The patient's gestational gigantomastia condition was complicated by several ulcerations and infections. Surgery was conducted alongside antibiotic treatment. This report also highlights the importance of follow ups in managing complications.

Interdisciplinary Approach for the Medical Management of Gestational Gigantomastia

Background  Gestational gigantomastia is a rare and debilitating condition that is thought to result from hormone hypersensitivity. Several definitions have been proposed using breast weight and change in body mass index, but the breast growth is best summarized as rapid, diffuse, and excessive. Case  We report a case of a 31-year-old woman with a history of infertility and cystic fibrosis that developed pathologic breast growth during hormonal preparation for in vitro fertilization. Her serum laboratories were unremarkable, and she was medically managed until 31 weeks of gestation. After delivery, she experienced rapid decrease in breast size and was followed by plastic surgery with plan to allow spontaneous regression with interval breast reduction Conclusion  We highlight a successful interdisciplinary medical management approach, which helped to avoid a morbid, intrapartum breast reduction.

Axillary enlargement in gestational gigantomastia, an uncommon presentation of a rare disease. A case report

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Gestational gigantomastia presents in early pregnancy as huge continuous breast size enlargement.

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Axillary involvement is not mentioned in medical literature before.

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Conservative management of Gestational gigantomastia is a valid option depending on patient condition and tolerance.

Background

Gestational gigantomastia presents in pregnancy as a rapid and excessive enlargement of the breast reducing the quality of life and causing psychological and physical impairment. Huge axillary enlargement due to Gestational gigantomastia is not mentioned in the literature before. Best treatment remains unclear as conservative and medical management are options beside the more aggressive surgical treatment.

Case presentation

This is a special case of Gestational gigantomastia presented by huge axillary and breast enlargement in a 34-year-old female. Treated successfully in a conservative manner, a near complete spontaneous resolution happened two months post-delivery.

Conclusion

Axillary involvement is not mentioned in the limited literature discussing the rare disease of gestational gigantomastia. Not only breast but also axillary area can be involved and enlarge due to this disease. Conservative non-operative management was successful.

Maternal and severe anaemia in delivering women is associated with risk of preterm and low birth weight: A cross sectional study from Jharkhand, India

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Haemoglobin content is the well accepted indicator for anaemia assessment. The high prevalence of anaemia, maternal health care issues and adverse delivery outcome in Jharkhand, we investigated whether delivering women with anaemia would present a modifiable risk of preterm (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW).

METHODS

A facility-based cross-sectional study involving pregnant women, with screening for pregnancy endpoints and haemoglobin assay, were conducted. Anaemia was classified according to World Health Organization's definition of anaemia in pregnancy. Confounding variables were adjusted in a logistic model. The adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used for analyzing the association among maternal anaemia, PTB and LBW.

RESULTS

We observed a high prevalence of anaemia (78.45%) in delivering women, whereas high prevalence of preterm birth (34.75%) and LBW (32.81%) in delivering women overall. In the adjusted analysis, overall anaemia in pregnancy was strongly associated with preterm birth (OR, 3.42; 95% CI, 1.98-5.88; P ≤ .0001) as compared to LBW (OR, 1.12; 95% CI, 0.65-1.61; P = .0003). The risk of PTB and LBW were dependent on the stratification of the anaemia group, as the strongest association was observed in severe (OR, 4.86) followed by mild (OR, 3.66) and moderate (OR, 3.18) anaemia in PTB; whereas risk of LBW was found in severe (OR, 2.5) followed by moderate (OR, 1.11) and mild (OR, 0.57) anaemia. The risk of PTB and LBW across six pregnancy haemoglobin groups were compared, haemoglobin of 10-10.9 g/dl (OR, 1.25) and ≤ 8 g/dl (OR, 1.03) have shown association with PTB and LBW, respectively. However, high haemoglobin concentration was not associated with either PTB or LBW.

CONCLUSIONS

Anaemia in delivering women was associated with an elevated risk of PTB and LBW and the risk increased with the severity of anaemia in pregnant women.

A Rare Case of Persistent Unilateral Gestational Gigantomastia

A 34-year-old para 2 + 0 Indonesian woman presented with persistent right-sided gestational gigantomastia some 24 months following delivery. This was severely debilitating her activities of daily living, including caring for her children. On examination, she was found to have extreme hypertrophy of her right breast, which was nodular throughout on palpation. Biochemical investigations were unremarkable and revealed no obvious etiology. Magnetic resonance imaging identified grossly enlarged right breast tissue with prominent vessels. Given the minimal involution of her breast over the 24 months postpartum, she elected for a breast reduction with free nipple grafting following appropriate counseling. This was performed through excision of breast parenchyma preserving superior-medial tissue, followed by a free nipple graft.

The Place of Reductive Surgery in the Management of Gestational Ulcerative Gigantomastia: A Case Report at Sourô Sanou Teaching Hospital

Introduction

Gestational gigantomastia is a rare benign disease of unknown cause. We report a case of bilateral gigantomastia in pregnancy in order to locate the place of reductive surgery in its care which is quite controversial.

Case

A 25-year-old woman gravida 2 para 1 was referred for an exaggerated bilateral breast enlargement at 32-week gestation. The examination showed bilateral giant breasts with collateral venous circulation and trophic changes marked by the necrosis of the distal third of the mammary skin involving the nipple-areolar complex. She underwent a biopsy of the ulcerative breast tissue, and the histology report did not show a malignant cell. After active foetal lung maturation and induced delivery, a breast reductive surgery with nipple plasty was performed 21 days postpartum. The postoperative course was marked by a period of lymphangitis. The cosmetic and psychological result was satisfactory at 6 months and at 18 months.

Conclusion

Gestational gigantomastia is a benign disease that can simulate carcinomatous mastitis. The breast reductive plasty keeps its place in our context.