J Med Assoc Thai. 2003 Mar;86(3):257-61. 

A controlled trial of a new treatment for galactocele.

Auvichayapat P, Auvichayapat N, Tong-un T, Thinkhamrop B, Vachirodom D,
Uttravichien T.
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon
Kaen 40002, Thailand.

BACKGROUND: Needle aspiration, followed by excision should it recur, is the
standard method of treating galactocele. Villagers in Northeast Thailand
traditionally treat galactocele by probing the obstructed duct with double
strands of pleated human hair. The aim of the study was to mimic this method
in order to scientifically assess its effectiveness. 

PATIENTS AND METHOD: Sixteen patients were consecutively enrolled between
1995 and 2001. They elected either standard needle aspiration (Group A) or
treatment by 6-0 nylon probing (Group B). The results were compared using
the Fisher's exact and Mann-Whitney tests at p-value < 0.05. 

RESULTS: The two groups were similar regarding the children's age, first
para, mass size, and duration of symptoms, but patients in the aspiration
group were considerably younger than the nylon probing group. Both methods
reduced the symptoms completely. Pain from treatment was reported by all
patients in the aspiration method while there were none in the nylon probing
method (p < 0.001). The aspiration method took 14.8 minutes less time than
the nylon probing method (p < 0.001). Recurrence was found in 2 out of 5
patients in the aspiration method, whereas there was none in the 11 patients
with the nylon probing method (difference = 40%; 95% CI: -3% to 83%; p =
0.083). 

CONCLUSIONS: The new treatment of galactocele by nylon probing took longer
than aspiration but removed the protein plug that caused obstruction of the
duct without pain and had a tendency to reduce the recurrence rate.

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