Diagnosis of Mondor’s Disease in the Setting of Right-Sided Anterior Chest Wall Pain

A 60-year-old male patient presented to the emergency department of our hospital with right-sided chest wall pain and a palpable subcutaneous cord-like structure along the right anterior chest wall. Examination revealed tenderness over the cord-like structure, and the skin overlying the structure was freely mobile and did not have any sign of infection or inflammation. Bedside ultrasonography revealed an uncompressible tubular structure with the absence of a color Doppler flow signal. The patient’s presentation was suggestive of Mondor’s disease. The patient was discharged with instructions to utilize anti-inflammatory drugs, perform warm compresses, and seek primary care follow-up to ensure resolution. Mondor’s disease is a rare disorder characterized by a superficial thrombophlebitis of the subcutaneous veins of the chest wall. For its diagnosis, a thorough examination of the patient’s medical history and physical condition is suggested; further, the performance of point-of-care ultrasonography has also been suggested. Once recognized, further emergency department workup is typically unnecessary in cases of primary Mondor’s disease. Despite being a mostly self-limited condition, greater awareness of this rare disease entity is required to ensure and coordinate close outpatient follow-up as well as monitor resolution due to its association with secondary causes such as vascular and breast carcinoma, vasculitis, and hypercoagulable disorders.