Mondor's Disease after Aesthetic Breast Surgery: A Case Series and Literature Review

Abstract

Background: Mondor's disease of the subcutaneous veins of the breast is an uncommon disorder. The etiology of Mondor's disease remains unclear. Usually, it is a self-limited disease. This condition has been associated with trauma, surgical biopsies, breast surgery (including silicone breast implant), physical activity, and a manifestation of breast cancer.

Materials and methods: This is a retrospective analysis of 652 female patients who underwent aesthetic breast surgery in the last 10 years.

Results: We found three cases of Mondor's disease after plastic surgery of the breast (0.46%) and performed an analysis of the clinical aspects and therapeutic measures. The disease onset was a couple of weeks to 2 years after surgery, never within the first 2 weeks after surgery. We did not observe ulceration or breast cancer. Treatment was unnecessary in two patients, whereas hot compresses and nonsteroidal medical drugs were prescribed in one patient. All lesions healed within 2-3 weeks.

Conclusion: Mondor's disease is a possible complication after aesthetic breast surgery but often runs a self-limiting course with spontaneous remission. It is important to exclude breast cancer. The patient should be informed that the disease runs a benign and self-limiting course.

Keywords: Mammoplasty; Mondor’s disease; silicone implant; superficial thrombophlebitis.

Figure 1

(A) Longitudinal fibrous strings after breast reduction. (B) The same patient with Mondor’s disease of the abdominal wall

Figure 2

(A) Mondor’s thrombophlebitis 2 years after augmentation mammoplasty. (B) The same patient 2 weeks after clinical treatment

Figure 3

Mondor’s disease presenting as a fibrous cord below the right breast 3 weeks after silicone breast implant