Rusty pipe syndrome: a case report

Rusty pipe syndrome is a rare but benign self-limiting condition characterised by spontaneous, painless, bilateral bloody nipple discharge in lactating mothers. This can cause significant anxiety for mothers and caregivers. We report on the case of a term newborn who was admitted to the neonatal unit because of respiratory distress. Expressed breast milk from the mother on day 1 was brownish blood stained. The bloody discolouration of the milk improved from the second day and cleared by day 4.

Ashok Zachariah Mathews¹
Consultant Neonatologist
ashokmathews@hotmail.com

Samuel Ibhanesebhor^1,2
Consultant Neonatologist

Mahitab Khalil¹
Registrar, Neonatology

Chikkanayakanahalli Manjunatha¹
Consultant Neonatologist

¹Royale Hayat Hospital, Jabrya, Kuwait
²Igbinedion University, Nigeria

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Keywords

infant nutrition; breastfeeding; neonatal health; paediatrics; rusty pipe syndrome

Key points

Rusty pipe syndrome is an uncommon and benign self-limiting condition.
Blood-stained breast milk can be alarming for lactating women and caregivers.
Awareness of this condition as benign among healthcare professionals will ensure appropriate support is provided, eg lactation counselling to relieve anxiety, reduce unnecessary investi-gations and avoid the inappropriate introduction of formula feeds.

Also published in Infant:

VOLUME 16/ISSUE 5, SEPTEMBER 2020

Changing referral patterns, reduced feeding-related problems and changes in breastfeeding during COVID-19

Due to the current global pandemic, the maternity services at Jessop Wing, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, have had to place restrictions on visitors to the hospital environment. During this time, we have seen a significant decrease in the number of term babies referred with common feeding-related problems, while also noting an increase in breastfeeding rates at discharge. We explore the possible reasons for this and what lessons may be learned.