A case of gestational gigantomastia in a 37-years-old woman associated with elevated ANA: a casual linkage?

Pan Afr Med J. 2017 Jul 4:27:167. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2017.27.167.11281. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

Hypertrophy of the breast (macromastia and gigantomastia) is a rare medical condition of the breast connective tissues. The etiology of this condition is still not clear; rarely, gigantomastia has been reported to develop in the setting of an autoimmune illness. We reported a case of a 37-years-old woman with undifferentiated connective tissue disease of 2-years duration presented with enlargement of breasts. The breast enlargment started at 5 months of gestation. She successfully underwent reduction mammoplasty with free nipple graft. In the succeeding months the level of antinuclear ANA remained stable. It is uncertain whether a positive antinuclear antibodies in gigantomastia is a casuative agent or an effect.

Keywords: Gigantomastia; breast hypertrophy; pregnancy; reduction mammoplasty; undifferentiated connective tissue disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antibodies, Antinuclear / blood*
  • Breast / abnormalities*
  • Breast / immunology
  • Breast / pathology
  • Breast / surgery
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertrophy / immunology
  • Hypertrophy / pathology*
  • Hypertrophy / surgery
  • Mammaplasty / methods*
  • Nipples / surgery
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / immunology
  • Pregnancy Complications / pathology*
  • Pregnancy Complications / surgery

Substances

  • Antibodies, Antinuclear

Supplementary concepts

  • Gigantomastia