A new mum faced a nightmare just weeks after giving birth. Imagine waking up to find one of your breasts had turned black – an unusual and alarming sight for anyone! This unexpected horror unfolded for a 38-year-old mum who had just delivered a preemie at 22 weeks. Initially spotting a black mark just 15 days postpartum, she rushed to the hospital to unravel the mystery.
Doctors discovered she had mastalgia, causing breast pain, coupled with erythema and a general sense of malaise. Though not breastfeeding, she was pumping, which might have heightened her infection risk. Surprisingly, she didn’t smoke and had no prior breast health issues, making the situation even more baffling.
A breast ultrasound ruled out abscesses or fluid build-up, leading doctors to prescribe antibiotics. However, over the next 48 hours, the bruising escalated, raising red flags about necrotising fasciitis—a severe bacterial infection. Tests revealed her breast milk contained MRSA, a resilient bacterial strain, though the condition appeared more consistent with group A streptococcus (GAS) erysipelas, a concerning skin infection. Medics initiated treatment for both conditions, suspecting necrotising fasciitis as well.
Five days in, she was stable enough for home-based recovery but confronted a new hurdle two weeks later: dry necrosis, where tissue dies due to poor blood supply. Her healthcare team confirmed necrotic erysipelas, a severe condition that led to part of her skin dying.
Multiple surgeries followed, with a vacuum closure dressing and debridement procedures to remove the dead tissue. Healing continued with a successful skin graft a month after her first operation. Thankfully, the wound healed beautifully, and she was eventually discharged from follow-up care.
This shocking case has since been detailed in a medical journal to help raise awareness about this rare and serious condition. Thankfully, the mum is now fully recovered and doing well!