Modified Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Using a Breast Pump Following Incision and Drainage of Lactational Breast Abscess: A Case Report

Breast abscess is a known complication of lactational mastitis and is conventionally managed with incision and drainage, antibiotics, and repeated dressings. However, delayed wound healing, milk leakage, and patient discomfort remain significant challenges. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) has proven benefits in complex wounds, but its application in lactational breast abscess is limited. We report a novel, low-cost modification of NPWT using a standard breast pump combined with silver foam dressing following incision and drainage of a lactational breast abscess. The technique resulted in rapid granulation tissue formation, effective wound drainage, and simultaneous milk expression from the affected breast, with significant improvement observed within three days.