Intraductal papillomas: diagnostic and surgical procedures.

A series of 98 patients with spontaneous nipple discharge, is reported. Diagnosis was based on: clinical examination, cytology of breast secretion, mammography and galactography. Surgical resection was recommended in the following cases: galactographic evidence of intraductal papilloma or papillomatosis, dubious or positive cytology, persisting hemorrhagic or sero-hemorrhagic secretion. The injection of vital staining before the operation allowed the precise location of the lesion. In the group of patients studied ten cases of ductal carcinomas (5 in situ and 5 smaller than 1 cm), 4 cases of atypical intraductal hyperplasia, 13 cases of solitary papilloma and 22 cases of multiple papillomatosis were diagnosed.