Tuberculosis of the mammary glands is a rather rare disease, which is explained by the high resistance of breast tissues to the mycobacteria that cause tuberculosis, and therefore only a few hospitals have proven treatment and diagnostic protocols. The Israeli clinic Top Ihilov is one of them. Here, everything necessary for competent therapy of this dangerous pathology is available: highly qualified mammologists, innovative medications, and high-tech equipment.
Treatment of tuberculosis of the mammary glands in Israel, with patient reviews indicating its high effectiveness, allows not only to suppress the infection, halting the progression of the pathological process, safely remove the painful lump, and restore the aesthetic shape of the breast, but also to avoid the risk of transforming the tuberculosis lesion into breast cancer.
Treatment Methods for Tuberculosis of the Mammary Glands in Israel
Tuberculosis of the mammary glands rarely occurs in isolated form – in most cases, it is secondary, representing a complication of tuberculosis affecting the lungs, bones, intestines, or spine. Typically, the pathological focus is localized in the lower or upper part of the outer quadrant of the breast; it is extremely rare to observe it in the central zone, including the nipple-areolar complex, and in the internal structures of the gland.
There are five main varieties of tuberculosis of the mammary glands, the most common of which is nodular, accompanied by a painful tumorous formation in the breast tissues.
Treatment of tuberculosis of the mammary glands in Israel is determined based on its type, the extent of the pathological process, the presence of fistulas and abscesses, the age of the patient, and many other factors. It can be conservative or surgical, but most often, the mammologists of the Top Ihilov medical complex use combined therapy.
Conservative therapy usually includes the following treatment methods for tuberculosis of the mammary glands in Israel:
- Medication therapy, which involves the use of anti-tuberculosis chemotherapeutic agents that fight the bacteria causing tuberculosis: primarily rifampicin, isoniazid, and ethambutol. In addition to specific chemotherapeutic agents, women with tuberculosis of the mammary glands are also prescribed vitamin complexes and immunostimulants to enhance the body's defense mechanisms.
- Physiotherapy, which may include the use of ultrasound, electrophoresis, magnetotherapy, inductothermy, UHF therapy, ultraviolet local irradiation, and other procedures.
If the disease was detected at an early stage of development, conservative treatment may be sufficient for the regression of the pathological process and the complete recovery of the patient.
Surgical treatment is prescribed if conservative therapy did not yield the desired results, as well as in the presence of purulent complications. It involves the surgical removal of a conglomerate of caseous nodes that formed in the breast tissues due to its tuberculosis infection. Specialists at the Top Ihilov clinic typically perform sectoral resection of the mammary gland: this is an organ-preserving operation, during which the tumorous formation is excised along with a portion of the surrounding healthy tissues to ensure the complete removal of affected cells.
Such interventions in Israel are performed using minimally invasive techniques, most often laparoscopy. They are characterized by much lower trauma compared to traditional surgical interventions, a low risk of postoperative complications, do not leave coarse scars on the woman's body, and do not require prolonged recovery. If necessary, after surgical treatment of tuberculosis of the mammary gland, doctors perform reconstructive plastic surgery to restore the aesthetic shape of the breast.
In most cases, after the operation, doctors continue conservative treatment to accelerate complete recovery and reduce the likelihood of disease recurrence to zero.
Even after treatment, women are advised to regularly consult a mammologist and, if necessary, undergo a course of anti-relapse therapy.
Diagnosis of Tuberculosis of the Mammary Glands in Israel
Diagnosing tuberculosis of the breast can be challenging, primarily due to the variety of its manifestations and their similarity to other pathologies of the mammary glands. Therefore, to establish an accurate diagnosis, specialists at the Top Ihilov medical center first conduct differential diagnostics, excluding diseases such as fibroadenoma, phlegmon, abscessing mastitis, regional lymphadenitis, actinomycosis, and scirrhous breast cancer. All tests are performed on modern ultra-sensitive equipment, ensuring high accuracy of the data.
Diagnosis of tuberculosis of the mammary glands in Israel typically takes 3–4 working days and is carried out in three stages.
Stage One: Consultation with a Mammologist
When the patient arrives in Israel, a personal curator meets her at the airport, who has a plan for her personal medical program. After checking into the hotel, she goes directly to the clinic with him for a consultation with the leading mammologist. The doctor inquires whether the woman has been in contact with someone who has tuberculosis, whether she has had any form of this disease in the past, especially pleurisy accompanied by involvement of the intrathoracic lymph nodes. Then he examines the affected mammary gland, paying attention to the presence of painful lumps, skin ulcerations, openings of fistulous tracts, etc.
The doctor also assesses the condition of the axillary, cervical, and submandibular lymph nodes. After this, he compiles a list of additional diagnostic procedures.
Stage Two: Thorough Examination
During the next day, the patient undergoes all the diagnostic tests prescribed by the attending physician, which include:
Mammography – a radiological examination of the mammary gland that allows for the detection of heterogeneous shadows with ragged contours, characteristic of tuberculosis lesions.- Ultrasound examination of the breast, through which the doctor identifies specific tuberculosis changes, studies the structure of tumorous nodes, and determines the localization of fistulous tracts.
- Computed and Magnetic Resonance Imaging – used to obtain detailed information about the location, size, and other characteristics of pathological foci.
- Puncture biopsy, which involves taking a sample of the affected breast tissue and its subsequent cytological examination to identify fragments of tuberculosis granulomas.
- Microbiological examination of discharge from fistulous openings – performed in cases of purulent tuberculosis.
- Complete blood count, where attention is paid to the levels of leukocytes, erythrocytes, and hemoglobin.
- Tuberculin testing (Mantoux test).
Stage Three: Development of Treatment Strategy
After the examination is completed, a council is convened with the participation of doctors from different specialties – a mammologist, gynecologist, surgeon, and other specialists, who, based on the results of the conducted instrumental and laboratory studies, make the final diagnosis and decide on the optimal method of therapy.
Treatment of Tuberculosis of the Mammary Glands in Israel: Cost
The cost of treatment is calculated individually. It is influenced by many aspects, including the type of tuberculosis lesion, the extent of the specific process, the treatment protocols used, the type and number of diagnostic studies conducted, the cost of medications, the need for surgical intervention, and many others. Therefore, the final cost of treatment can only be provided by the doctors at Top Ihilov Hospital after conducting the necessary examinations, clarifying the diagnosis, and approving the therapeutic plan.
Overall, the prices for treating tuberculosis of the mammary glands in Israel remain among the most affordable: they are on average 30–50% lower than in clinics in Germany, Switzerland, America, and other countries with developed healthcare systems.
Five Reasons to Trust Treatment to Top Ihilov Clinic
- First-class mammologists with high qualifications, extensive clinical experience, and the necessary skills for effective treatment of various pathologies of the mammary gland, including rare ones.
- Use of only proven therapeutic methods that have demonstrated their effectiveness and safety.
- The clinic is equipped with state-of-the-art medical and diagnostic equipment.
- The opportunity to receive professional treatment at a reasonable cost.
- Individual approach in developing the therapy scheme.