What is Bilateral Breast Duct Dilatation?

Although bilateral mammary duct dilatation is common, it can be easily confused with other types of diseases. Diagnosis requires distinguishing between diseases such as mastitis and breast nodules. So what exactly is bilateral mammary duct dilatation? In fact, bilateral mammary duct ectasia is a benign disease of the breast. Don't be overly nervous, but you still need to take appropriate treatment measures to avoid the disease from being delayed and evolving into other types of diseases. Let's talk about it in detail below.

Bilateral mammary duct ectasia is not a difficult or complicated disease, but a common benign disease. Generally, middle-aged and elderly women are prone to this disease, and the high incidence age is 50-60 years old. The main causes of bilateral mammary duct ectasia are the following three aspects.

Bilateral mammary duct dilatation due to ductal drainage disorder

Many women have congenital nipple deformities, sunken and unclean nipples. Some women also have foreign hair and fibers that can cause nipple occlusion, abnormal development, poor breast structure, epithelial hyperplasia, inflammation, duct stenosis, interruption and blockage. When too much endocrine material accumulates in the duct, duct dilatation occurs. Some middle-aged and elderly women suffer from this disease due to ovarian dysfunction, changes in the breast ducts, loose duct walls, and myoepithelial thinning, which can cause excessive secretions to accumulate in the ducts.

Abnormal hormone stimulation leading to bilateral breast duct dilatation

The level of sex hormones in women's blood is abnormal. Before ovulation, the levels of estradiol and luteinizing hormone in the blood are low, but the level of prolactin is high. Abnormal sex hormone stimulation can cause abnormal secretion of the duct epithelium, resulting in duct dilation. If there is only obstruction and no abnormal hormonal stimulation, duct dilatation generally will not occur. Obstruction of ductal drainage is usually caused by the exacerbation of the galactorrhea phase during the lumpy phase.

Bilateral mammary duct dilatation caused by infection

Many experts believe that bilateral mammary duct ectasia can lead to anaerobic infection and areola infection. The bacteria invade the subcutaneous tissue, involve the milk ducts, and then penetrate through the milk ducts to form fistulas. It is also possible that when the duct is blocked, the shed epithelial cells and lipid secretions accumulate excessively, overflow the duct wall, and decompose to form chemical substances, causing chemical irritation or antigenic reaction in nearby tissues.