Oklahoma Breast Augmentation Surgeon

Mondor's syndrome is a relatively uncommon problem following augmentation mammaplasty, in which temporary cords develop extending from below the breast towards the abdomen. We see this in approximately 1 to 2 percent of patients. It is thought that the cords are due to an inflammation of the superficial veins below the breast (figure 1). The cause is unknown. The cords become more prominent when the breast is pulled upwards and can be one sided or both sided. They appear at about 3 to 6 weeks, last a few months, and then usually disappear. I have never had to do surgery for them.

Mondor's syndrome is named after Henri Mondor (1885-1962), a surgeon in Paris, France who first described the disease in 1939. The presenting complaint is usually progressive pain in the lateral chest wall. On physical examination, a superficial, tender fibrous cord fixed to the skin can be palpated. The condition is benign and self-limited. No treatment is needed, and antibiotics have not been shown to alter the course. Pain or tenderness usually persists from 1 to 6 weeks, and the cord may last from 1 to 7 months. Analgesics help with symptomatic relief. There appears to be no risk of embolization. It is important to make the diagnosis of Mondor's disease in order not to confuse the condition with systemic diseases or lymphatic spread from carcinoma, thus avoiding unnecessary biopsy.

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