A 32-year-old woman notices a tender, cord-like indurated band over the lower outer quadrant of the right breast running obliquely toward the epigastrium, first felt two days after an intense gym session. There is no discrete mass, the overlying skin is normal except for the visible cord, and there is no fever. What is the most likely diagnosis?

• A Deep venous thrombosis of the axillary vein
• B Thrombophlebitis of the thoracoepigastric vein (Mondor disease) ✓
• C Necrotising fasciitis of the chest wall
• D Costochondritis of the second rib

Explanation

Mondor disease is superficial thrombophlebitis of the thoracoepigastric or lateral thoracic vein, producing a tender cord-like band over the anterolateral chest wall, often after local trauma or exertion, and it resolves spontaneously. Axillary vein DVT would cause arm swelling rather than a palpable subcutaneous cord on the breast, while costochondritis produces tenderness at the costochondral junctions without a cord.

Reference: Bailey and Love's Short Practice of Surgery, 27th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.