Mum’s breast turns black and rots from flesh-eating bug as doctors brush it off as breastfeeding side effect
She was eventually diagnosed with a life-threatening infection
A MUM developed a flesh-eating disease while breastfeeding, just days after her baby was born.
The 30-year-old, who gave birth via C-section, began noticing issues with her left breast three days later, with the area becoming swollen.
Over the next few days, she started running a fever, so decided to head to the hospital.
There, doctors found the unnamed patient was suffering necrotising fasciitis, sometimes called the “flesh-eating disease”.
It can start from a relatively minor injury, such as a small cut, but gets worse very quickly and can be life-threatening if it’s not recognised and treated early on.
The woman, from Sri Lanka, who has no family history of breast-related medical issues, said she had taken painkillers for two days following the birth, but no other medications.
During the initial examination – prior to the diagnosis – doctors found the breast to be “swollen, tender and warm to the touch”.
At this stage, she was still able to breastfeed from both breasts.
An ultrasound revealed swollen tissue in her left breast and an unusual buildup of thick fluid.
They initially believed she was suffering from advanced mastitis – a common issue affecting breastfeeding women, in which the breast becomes swollen, hot and painful.
The abscess in her breast was drained three days into her hospital stay.
But the following day doctors found the skin around the breast was turning black – and she was diagnosed with the ‘flesh-eating’ infection.
The bacteria that cause necrotising fasciitis do not “eat” flesh – they release toxins that damage nearby tissue, .
The mum was forced to stop breastfeeding as the milk was preventing the wound from healing.
She was prescribed antibiotics and was discharged after 18 days – 25 days after giving birth.
At home, the wound was managed with hypertonic saline, a salt-water solution.
The patient was also given psychological support as she suffered “severe post-partum blues” as a result of the condition, according to doctors.
Three months on from welcoming her child, doctors reported her breast had “completely healed” with “minimal distortion”.
What is necrotising fasciitis?
It can happen when bacteria enters the body through an open wound, like a cut or burn.
The infection spreads quickly and aggressively, causes tissue death and can be deadly if not treated right away.
The signs and symptoms to know:
Symptoms of necrotising fasciitis can develop quickly within hours or over a few days.
At first, you may have:
- Intense pain or loss of feeling near to a cut or wound – the pain may seem much worse than you would usually expect from a cut or wound
- Swelling of the skin around the affected area
- Flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature, headache and tiredness
Later symptoms can include:
- Being sick (vomiting) and diarrhoea
- Confusion
- Black, purple or grey blotches and blisters on the skin (these may be less obvious on black or brown skin)
Typical treatment:
Necrotising fasciitis gets worse very quickly and can kill.
This is why it must be treated in hospital as soon as possible.
Sufferers will usually be given antibiotics to fight off the infection or in some cases, surgery to remove the affected area
Even after successful treatment, there may be long-term changes in how the body looks. Some people require further surgery and physiotherapy to help recover.