PAEA Surgery End Of Rotation (EOR) Practice Exam

What is a common symptom of an abscess in the breast?

1. Pain and fever

2. Bloody discharge

3. Skin dimpling

4. Asymmetry

The correct answer is: Pain and fever

An abscess in the breast often presents with a combination of symptoms that typically include pain and fever, making this a common presentation. The pain is localized to the area of the abscess and can be described as throbbing or sharp, often increasing with movement or touch. Fever is a systemic response to infection and indicates the body's immune response to the abscess formation, suggesting that there is an infectious process occurring. Other symptoms can vary but are not as definitive as pain and fever for the diagnosis of a breast abscess. While bloody discharge, skin dimpling, and asymmetry can occur with various breast conditions, including infections or malignancy, they are not specific indicators of an abscess. Bloody discharge may suggest other issues, such as ductal disease or malignancy, skin dimpling can be a sign of underlying malignancy or tethering due to fibrosis, and asymmetry might be present in a variety of breast disorders but is not an indicator of an abscess. Thus, the presence of pain and fever is a hallmark symptom in the context of a breast abscess and indicates the need for further evaluation and management.