# Comparison of the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided surgery with traditional surgery for plasma cell mastitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

## TL;DR

This study compares ultrasound-guided surgery with traditional surgery for plasma cell mastitis and finds that the former may be more effective and safer.

## Contribution

The study provides a systematic review and meta-analysis of UGS versus TS for PCM, offering updated evidence on their comparative efficacy and safety.

## Key findings

- UGS showed shorter operative time, lower complication rates, and reduced intraoperative bleeding compared to traditional surgery.
- Patients undergoing UGS reported lower pain scores and higher satisfaction with overall appearance.
- Recurrence rates and pain satisfaction were similar between the two surgical methods.

## Abstract

This study aims to offer an updated, comprehensive comparison of the efficacy and safety between ultrasound-guided surgery (UGS) and traditional surgery (TS) for plasma cell mastitis (PCM).

Studies comparing UGS with conventional surgery for PCM were retrieved from Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang databases (up to March 2025). Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were conducted to assess result stability and identify sources of heterogeneity. All findings were evaluated using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Analyses were performed with Review Manager 5.4 and STATA 15.0.

Nine eligible studies, including 951 patients (486 UGS, 465 TS), were analyzed. Baseline characteristics were comparable between the groups. Pooled analysis indicated that UGS resulted in shorter operative time, lower postoperative complication rates, reduced intraoperative hemorrhage, lower visual analog scale (VAS) scores, improved efficacy, and higher satisfaction with overall appearance. Recurrence rates and pain satisfaction were comparable between the two groups. According to GRADE classification, results for efficacy, satisfaction, and mammary deformity were rated as low-quality evidence, while other outcomes were rated as very low-quality due to significant heterogeneity, imprecision, or publication bias.

Evidence suggests that UGS improves efficacy, satisfaction, and reduces postoperative complications for PCM. However, given the limited quality and quantity of the included studies, further high-quality research is needed to confirm these findings.

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/.