Background: Mondor's disease (MD) is considered an inflammatory condition of superficial vasculitis that develops mainly in the anterolateral thoracoabdominal wall. The pathogenesis of the disease has been controversial, however, because of the lack of histopathologic methods for differentiating between the small vein and the lymphatic vessel.
Aim: To objectively examine the origin of vascular lesions in MD, we investigated the endothelial cells of their blood and lymphatic vessels.
Methods: Immunohistochemical examinations were carried out on specimens involving vascular lesions from 16 patients with MD, using antibodies against von Willebrand factor and human lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1, which specifically discriminate between lymphatic and blood vessels.
Results: The histopathologic findings clearly showed thrombophlebitis in 14 patients, a lesion originating in the lymphatic vessel in one patient, and sclerosis that consisted of the artery together with veins in another.
Conclusion: This study suggests that almost all cases of MD are due to thrombophlebitis, with a small minority due to lymphangitis or other conditions. We believe this study will contribute to the better recognition of the factual changes in the condition designated MD.