Galactorrhoea and Hyperprolactinaemia in a Non-Pregnant Female with Burns

Abstract

Galactorrhoea is the presence of breast milk secretion in non-pregnant or non-breastfeeding females. In females with galactorrhoea and amenorrhoea, hyperprolactinaemia is the most likely cause. Chest wall pathology is a known cause of hyperprolactinaemia, however there are few documented reports on galactorrhoea following burn injury to the chest wall. We report a case of an adult female patient who sustained hot water burns to her torso. Following the second skin graft failure, galactorrhoea was noted and investigated. Hyperprolactinaemia was found with normal renal and thyroid function. There were no abnormalities detected on the hormones in the hypothalamic pituitary axis and MRI. Hyperprolactinaemia was attributed to chest wall injuries causing pathological stimulation of the neural suckling reflex. The patient was treated with dopamine agonists for one month and the galactorrhoea disappeared. Treatment was discontinued on discharge and the prolactin levels remained normal upon follow-up visit to the clinic.

Keywords: chest burns; galactorrhoea; hyperprolactinaemia; prolactin.

Figure 1

The patient with severe burn wounds post skin graft

Figure 2

The patient’s MRI of the brain that shows no pituitary pathology