Although ultrasound guidance is occasionally used for abscess detection and
aspiration by our radiology colleagues, this is still a very uncommon appl
ication in the emergency department (ED). A case is presented of a patient
with a difficult-to-drain, recurrent breast abscess. The consulting surgeon
was unable to localize the abscess after 15 attempts at aspiration in the
ED and requested ultrasound guidance from the attending emergency physician
for the procedure. Drainage of the abscess was successfully completed in o
ne attempt with real-time visualization and guidance of the needle. The con
sulting surgeon requested that ultrasound be available at the patient's fol
low-up visit to the ED.