Crohn's disease presenting as a breast abscess: A case report

A case of cutaneous Crohn's. disease (CD) involving the areola-nipple regio n of both breasts in a 45-year-old woman is reported. The lesion had initia lly been diagnosed and treated as a simple abscess. Histopathological exami nation, however, showed granulomatous inflammation with eosinophils suggest ing extraintestinal CD. The patient also had a minor area of cutaneous CD l ocalized at the umbilicus and severe anogenital lesions. Twenty-six years p reviously the woman had undergone a course of sulphasalazine treatment toge ther with steroid enema for. chronic inflammatory colitis, but the colitis had been inactive for 25 years. Treatment with sulphasalazine, metronidazol e, prednisolone and azothioprine had only minor effect on the skin lesions. CID is a systemic disorder and the most prominent manifestations may be ex traintestinal.