ObjectiveTo assess effect of the self-made traditional Chinese medicine iontophoresis in treatment of acute lactation mastitis. MethodsTwo hundred cases of acute lactation mastitis who were treated in Langfang Maternal and Child Health-Care Hospital from Apr.to Nov.in 2012 were divided into traditional Chinese medicine group and control group by number of cases, each group enrolled 100 cases.The cases of traditional Chinese medicine group were treated with traditional Chinese medicine iontophoresis by using photoelectric ion therapeutic apparatus, and cases of control group were treated with 0.9% saline iontophoresis by using the same device.All of the 200 cases were treated with 1-3 courses (5 days per course), 2 times per day, and every time needed 30 minutes.At the same time, cases were educated the breast-feeding knowledge.Effect evaluation was performed after 1 course and 3 courses of treatment.The cases who were not cured after 3 courses needed to weaning, and needed to receive abscess incision drainage surgery.In 3 months after stopping therapy, telephone interview was performed to investigate the situation of recurrence. ResultsAfter 1 course of treatment, the effect was as follows:recovery in 89 cases, effective in 6 cases, invalid in 5 cases, and the total effective rate was 89%(89/100) in traditional Chinese medicine group; recovery in 71 cases, effective in 16 cases, invalid in 13 cases, and the total effective rate was 87%(87/100) in control group.After 3 courses of treatment, the effect was as follows:recovery in 97 cases, invalid in 3 cases, and the total effective rate was 97%(97/100) in traditional Chinese medicine group; recovery in 86 cases, invalid in 14 cases, and the total effective rate was 86%(86/100) in control group.There were 3 cases and 14 cases underwent abscess incision drainage surgery in Chinese medicine group and control group respectively.The clinical effect of Chinese medicine group were better than that of control group in 1 course (χ2=3.96, P < 0.05) and 3 courses (χ2=7.78, P < 0.01) of treatment.The recurrence rate of Chinese medicine group and control group were 5%(5/100) and 35%(35/100) respectively, and the rate of control group was higher (χ2=28.13, P < 0.01). ConclusionsCom-pared with 0.9% saline iontophoresis, the effect of traditional Chinese medicine iontophoresis in the treatment of acute lactation mastitis is better, which contribute to the breastfeeding.In addition, it is worth popularizing for that it can reduce the operation rate and recurrence rate effectively.